Analysis of the antitumor activity of bioactive compounds of Cannabis flowers extracted by green solvents

Genome-Scale Metabolic Reconstruction, Non-Targeted LC-QTOF-MS Based Metabolomics Data, and Evaluation of Anticancer Activity of Cannabis sativa Leaf Extracts

Over the past decades, Colombia has suffered complex social problems related to illicit crops, including forced displacement, violence, and environmental damage, among other consequences for vulnerable populations. Considerable effort has been made in the regulation of illicit crops, predominantly Cannabis sativa, leading to advances such as the legalization of medical cannabis and its derivatives, the improvement of crops, and leaving an open window to the development of scientific knowledge to explore alternative uses. It is estimated that C. sativa can produce approximately 750 specialized secondary metabolites. Some of the most relevant due to their anticancer properties, besides cannabinoids, are monoterpenes, sesquiterpenoids, triterpenoids, essential oils, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds. However, despite the increase in scientific research on the subject, it is necessary to study the primary and secondary metabolism of the plant and to identify key pathways that explore its great metabolic potential. For this purpose, a genome-scale metabolic reconstruction of C. sativa is described and contextualized using LC-QTOF-MS metabolic data obtained from the leaf extract from plants grown in the region of Pesca-Boyaca, Colombia under greenhouse conditions at the Clever Leaves facility. A compartmentalized model with 2101 reactions and 1314 metabolites highlights pathways associated with fatty acid biosynthesis, steroids, and amino acids, along with the metabolism of purine, pyrimidine, glucose, starch, and sucrose. Key metabolites were identified through metabolomic data, such as neurine, cannabisativine, cannflavin A, palmitoleic acid, cannabinoids, geranylhydroquinone, and steroids. They were analyzed and integrated into the reconstruction, and their potential applications are discussed. Cytotoxicity assays revealed high anticancer activity against gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS), melanoma cells (A375), and lung carcinoma cells (A549), combined with negligible impact against healthy human skin cells.

The impact of extraction protocol on the chemical profile of cannabis extracts from a single cultivar

The last two decades have seen a dramatic shift in cannabis legislation around the world. Cannabis products are now widely available and commercial production and use of phytocannabinoid products is rapidly growing. However, this growth is outpacing the research needed to elucidate the therapeutic efficacy of the myriad of chemical compounds found primarily in the flower of the female cannabis plant. This lack of research and corresponding regulation has resulted in processing methods, products, and terminology that are variable and confusing for consumers. Importantly, the impact of processing methods on the resulting chemical profile of full spectrum cannabis extracts is not well understood. As a first step in addressing this knowledge gap we have utilized a combination of analytical approaches to characterize the broad chemical composition of a single cannabis cultivar that was processed using previously optimized and commonly used commercial extraction protocols including alcoholic solvents and super critical carbon dioxide. Significant variation in the bioactive chemical profile was observed in the extracts resulting from the different protocols demonstrating the need for further research regarding the influence of processing on therapeutic efficacy as well as the importance of labeling in the marketing of multi-component cannabis products.

Effects of Ethanol on the Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction of Cannabinoids from Near Equimolar (THC and CBD Balanced) Cannabis Flower

In this study, supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) extractions of cannabinoids were conducted at four different densities (231, 590, 818, and 911 kg/m3) using ethanol (5% w/v) as a co-solvent. The chemical profiles of these cannabinoids were analysed via reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). It was determined that scCO2, at low density (231 kg/m3), produced an extract yield of 6.1% w/v. At high scCO2 density (~818 kg/m3), the yield was 16.1% w/v. More specifically, the amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) in the scCO2 extract at 818 kg/m3 were 10.8 and 15.6% w/v, respectively. It was also found that the use of 5% w/v ethanol increased scCO2 extract yields at both low and high densities (7.6% w/v and 18.2% w/v, respectively). Additionally, the use of co-solvent increased this yield further under both low- and high-density conditions, to 13.7 and 19.1% w/v, respectively. Interestingly, higher scCO2 density (911 kg/m3) with and without ethanol did not improve the scCO2 extract yield or the amount of cannabinoids. Although this study provides new insights into the correlation between scCO2 density and ethanol co-extraction of CBD and THC, more studies are needed to determine how different scCO2 densities and co-solvents influence the extraction of cannabinoids.

Simple chemical tests to identify Cannabis derivatives: Redefinition of parameters and analysis of concepts

The chemical identification of Cannabis is commonly carried out using the Duquenois-Levine (DL) colorimetric test. On the other hand, its active substances called cannabinoids are differentiated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). This work aims to optimize parameters of these two chemical tests using different samples of Cannabis in natura and previously heated (decarboxylated), as well as their isolated bioactive and possible false positives. The efficiency of the DL test without using ether and aliphatic aldehyde was evaluated, comparing the removal or not of the solid sample from the reaction medium after applying different concentrations of the vanillin ethanolic solution. The chemical properties of different cannabinoids and solvents were estimated and correlated with the TLC retention factors. DL tests applied directly to the plant matrix did not show the expected color, even using a high concentration of vanillin. However, obtaining ethanolic extracts from the samples using low vanillin concentration was sufficient without detecting false positives described in the literature. Cannabinoids with high dipole moment ( μ ) were poorly eluted in TLC, indicating a great interaction with the stationary phase. Their identifications could be conducted based on their distinct lipophilic characteristics ( log P OW ) and the choice of a more polar solvent mix ( μ mix ). It is concluded that the DL test can be conducted with reagents of less toxicity, but it is necessary to remove the plant matrix from the reaction medium. The correlation of the TLC results with the chemical properties of cannabinoids and solvents was consistent and can be extrapolated for more complex analyses.

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of plant phytochemicals for biological and environmental applications - A review

Recently, supercritical fluid CO₂ extraction (SFE) has emerged as a promising and pervasive technology over conventional extraction techniques for various applications, especially for bioactive compounds extraction and environmental pollutants removal. In this context, temperature and pressure regulate the solvent density and thereby effects the yield, selectivity, and biological/therapeutic properties of the extracted components. However, the nature of plant matrices primarily determines the extraction mechanism based on either density or vapor pressure. The present review aims to cover the recent research and developments of SFE technique in the extraction of bioactive plant phytochemicals with high antioxidant, antibacterial, antimalarial, and anti-inflammatory activities, influencing parameters, process conditions, the investigations for improving the yield and selectivity. In another portion of this review focuses on the ecotoxicology and toxic metal recovery applications. Nonpolar properties of Sc-CO₂ create strong solvent strength via distinct intermolecular interaction forces with micro-pollutants and toxic metal complexes. This results in efficient removal of these contaminants and makes SFE technology as a superior alternative for conventional solvent-based treatment methods. Moreover, a compelling assessment on the therapeutic, functional, and solvent properties of SFE is rarely focused, and hence this review would add significant value to the SFE based research studies. Furthermore, we mention the limitations and potential of future perspectives related to SFE applications.

Extraction of medicinal cannabinoids through supercritical carbon dioxide technologies: A review

The pharmaceutical importance of cannabis is growing due to the natural non-psychoactive and psychoactive cannabinoids. For medicinal and forensic purposes, the effective extraction and quantification are essential to fully utilise the natural cannabinoids. The supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) process has gained increasing interest due to its selective extraction, short processing time (partly due to the efficient solvent removal process - supercritical fluid to vapour - leaving a solvent free product), low running cost, and low impact on the environment, compared to that of most conventional extraction methods. In this review, the extraction of cannabinoids through SFE methods have been summarised. The advantages of SFE of cannabinoids over conventional extraction procedures; such as microwave-assisted extraction, solid phase microextraction, hard-cap espresso, soxhlet extraction, high-throughput homogenization, ultrasound-assisted extraction, vacuum distillation of lipid-based extract, and liquid-liquid extraction are discussed. Furthermore, this review examines the importance of the SFE of cannabinoids by coupling with various conventional extraction methods, separation techniques, selection of a suitable co-solvent/modifier, and appropriate sample preparation. Additionally, the applications of using SFE technology and cannabinoids are reviewed with a focus on industrial, pharmaceutical, waste by-products, and purification.

Recent Advances in Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Natural Bioactive Compounds from Natural Plant Materials

In this review, recent advances in greener technology for extracting natural bioactive components from plant origin sources are discussed. Bioactive compounds of plant origin have been defined as natural chemical compounds present in small amounts in plants. Researchers have shown interest in extracting bioactive compounds because of their human health benefits and characteristics of being eco-friendly and generally recognized as safe. Various new extraction methods and conventional extraction methods have been developed, however, until now, no unique approach has been presented as a benchmark for extracting natural bioactive compounds from plants. The selectivity and productivity of traditional and modern extraction techniques generally depend on selecting the critical input parameters, knowing the nature of plant-based samples, the structure of bioactive compounds, and good scientific skills. This work aims to discuss the recent advances in supercritical fluid extraction techniques, especially supercritical carbon dioxide, along with the fundamental principles for extracting bioactive compounds from natural plant materials such as herbs, spices, aromatic and medicinal plants.