Study of Cannabis Oils Obtained from Three Varieties of C. sativa and by Two Different Extraction Methods: Phytochemical Characterization and Biological Activities

Abstract

Currently, much effort is being placed into obtaining extracts and/or essential oils from Cannabis sativa L. for specific therapeutic purposes or pharmacological compositions. These potential applications depend mainly on the phytochemical composition of the oils, which in turn are determined by the type of C. sativa and the extraction method used to obtain the oils. In this work, we have evaluated the contents of secondary metabolites, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and cannabidiol (CBD), in addition to the total phenolic, flavonoids, and anthraquinone content in oils obtained using solid–liquid extraction (SLE) and supercritical fluid extraction (SCF). Different varieties of C. sativa were chosen by using the ratio of THC to CBD concentrations. Additionally, antioxidant, antifungal and anticancer activities on different cancer cell lines were evaluated in vitro. The results indicate that oils extracted by SLE, with high contents of CBD, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, exhibit a high antioxidant capacity and induce a high decrease in the cell viability of the tested breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). The observed biological activities are attributed to the entourage effect, in which CBD, phenols and flavonoids play a key role. Therefore, it is concluded that the right selection of C. sativa variety and the solvent for SLE extraction method could be used to obtain the optimal oil composition to develop a natural anticancer agent.

Optimization and Bioactive Properties of Nanoemulsion Formulated with Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Seed Oil and Aloe vera (Barbadensis miller Stockton) Gel

“…In the same context, hemp seeds are known to have a high radical scavenging capacity as they contain secondary metabolites and phenolic components such as flavonoids, spiroindans, dihydrostilbenes, phenanthrenes, and dihydrophenanthrenes, especially terpenophenolic cannabinoids. In recent years, research on the biological activity of hemp seeds due to their rich content has accelerated [61] …”

“…In recent years, research on the biological activity of hemp seeds due to their rich content has accelerated. [61] The radical scavenging activity of nanoemulsion groups ranged between 45.9 � 0.03 and 80.9 � 0.01 (Figure 5). The radical scavenging activity of the HSO and AVG components used in the study were determined as 90.3 % and 73.5 %, respectively.…”

The Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Potential of Leaves and Inflorescences Extracts of Selected Hemp Varieties Obtained with scCO2

“…However, it is worth mentioning that other cannabis components besides cannabinoids might also play a significant role in antioxidant properties and work synergistically with cannabinoids, which is called the "entourage" effect [2][3][4]. Different cannabis varieties show a wide range of secondary plant metabolite profiles and thus differ in biological activity [83,84]. Cannabis plant material after extraction provides compounds that are responsible for the smell, terpenes like β-myrcene, limonene, and β-(E)-caryophyllene, as well as α-humulene [35,85].…”