Contents of Cannabinoids in Hemp Varieties Grown in Maryland

Progress in the analysis of phytocannabinoids by HPLC and UPLC (or UHPLC) during 2020-2023

INTRODUCTION

Organic molecules that bind to cannabinoid receptors are known as cannabinoids. These molecules possess pharmacological properties similar to those produced by Cannabis sativa L. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC, also known as ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography, UHPLC) have become the most widely used analytical tools for detection and quantification of phytocannabinoids in various matrices. HPLC and UPLC (or UHPLC) are usually coupled to an ultraviolet (UV), photodiode array (PDA), or mass spectrometric (MS) detector.

OBJECTIVE

To critically appraise the literature on the application of HPLC and UPLC (or UHPLC) methods for the analysis of phytocannabinoids published from January 2020 to December 2023.

METHODOLOGY

An extensive literature search was conducted using Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar and published materials including relevant books. In various combinations, using cannabinoid in all combinations, cannabis, hemp, hashish, C. sativa, marijuana, analysis, HPLC, UHPLC, UPLC, and quantitative, qualitative, and quality control were used as the keywords for the literature search.

RESULTS

Several HPLC- and UPLC (or UHPLC)-based methods for the analysis of phytocannabinoids were reported. While simple HPLC-UV or HPLC-PDA-based methods were common, the use of HPLC-MS, HPLC-MS/MS, UPLC (or UHPLC)-PDA, UPLC (or UHPLC)-MS, and UPLC (or UHPLC)-MS/MS was also reported. Applications of mathematical and computational models for optimization of protocols were noted. Pre-analyses included various environmentally friendly extraction protocols.

CONCLUSION

During the last 4 years, HPLC and UPLC (or UHPLC) remained the main analytical tools for phytocannabinoid analysis in different matrices.

Portable biosensors for rapid on-site determination of cannabinoids in cannabis, a review

Recent studies highlight the therapeutic virtues of cannabidiol (CBD). Furthermore, due to their molecular enriched profiles, cannabis inflorescences are biologically superior to a single cannabinoid for the treatment of various health conditions. Thus, there is flourishing demand for Cannabis sativa varieties containing high levels of CBD. Additionally, legal regulations around the world restrict the cultivation and consumption of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-rich cannabis plants for their psychotropic effects. Therefore, the use of cannabis varieties that are high in CBD is permitted as long as their THC content does not exceed a low threshold of 0.3%-0.5%, depending on the jurisdiction. These chemovars are legally termed 'hemp'. This controlled cannabinoid requirement highlights the need to detect low levels of THC, already in the field. In this review, cannabis profiling and the existing methods used for the detection of cannabinoids are firstly evaluated. Then, selected valuable biosensor technologies are discussed, which suggest portable, rapid, sensitive, reproducible, and reliable methods for on-site identification of cannabinoids levels, mainly THC. Recent cutting-edge techniques of promising potential usage for both cannabis and hemp analysis are identified, as part of the future cultivation and agricultural improvement of this crop.