Transcending the Boundaries of Current Cannabis Products
This was initially published in the 25th Issue of Terpenes & Testing Magazine published in 2021 and is being shared for educational purposes on this blog. Please cite as Bone, CB “Transcending the Boundaries of Current Cannabis Products.” Terpenes & Testing Magazine. Jan./Feb. 2021, Volume 4: Issue 25: pp. 26-30.
Raphael Machoulam, Ph.D., stirred the pot with his announcement of a new synthetic cannabinoid acid methyl ester, that he found was more potent than delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD). [1] While certainly less immediately impactful than legislative actions to change the status of cannabinoids, this announcement is profound because it speaks to a framework that the industry would be wise to reflect on. The industry is poised to continue its exponential growth and the opportunity to envision different kinds of evolution and development for this industry is still possible, if not necessary to maximize the value of cannabis.
The first and probably most consequential framework is the stark contrast between the idea of cannabinoid pharmaceuticals and supplements that have not been adequately addressed. The pathways to US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) legalization of CBD supplements are virtually non-existent, and congressional votes on the schedule of cannabis does not change this. [2] This is because the FDA has already permitted the use of cannabis-derived CBD in one medication, thereby making it illegal to market this same substance or hemp-derived CBD as a supplement or food.
The political landscape makes executive-level action unlikely, as more pressing concerns surrounding COVID-19 are likely to trade off with cannabis reform as has been the case throughout this pandemic despite increased use of CBD during this time. Moreover, decriminalization would do little to address rule-based restrictions that continue to hamstring market access for cannabinoid products that aren’t medications. Unless the industry intends to spend resources on Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) certification for cannabinoids – an effort requiring greater lobbying and research efforts than are projected to be deployed, for cannabinoids – the market may remain federally illegal for the foreseeable future.
The second need is to look earlier into the cannabis plant’s developmental stages to truly unlock the magic therein. The need to explore new moieties and products that survive a more thorough regulatory environment while delivering an improved consumer experience over what’s available today is necessary for the industry’s evolution. Asking what else the plant offers besides cannabinoids, such as terpenoids and flavonoids, can resolve underlying issues that the cannabinoid-focused paradigm creates.
Cannabis Beyond Cannabinoids
Cannabis beyond cannabinoids seems impossible if not counterintuitive; however, arguably the plant is better suited for its myriad applications than as strictly a source of cannabinoid concentrates. The rise of cannabis as an accepted vernacular to refer to fiber and drug varietals is certainly progress over using racially contrived words like marijuana. However, by lumping hemp fiber varietals into the mix, the industry may not recognize the distinct and valuable applications beyond extraction. This has a tangible impact as research and development into novel compounds and alternative cultivation and processing methods struggle to find resources when the paradigm of value is seen in cannabinoids. This fledgling hemp fiber market in the United States is hampered by a lack of supply and processing capacities [3], while the situation couldn’t be more different regarding cannabinoid-rich cultivars where machines may sit idle due to impacts of supply irregularities and an ever-shifting regulatory environment. Looking to new compounds where existing processing and manufacturing capacities can be utilized is low-hanging fruit waiting to be plucked.
Cannabinoid-focused cultivators and processors may point to the proliferation of exotic and trace cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabichromene (CBC), and delta-8-THC as evidence of an industry exploring and creating. However, the research supporting these trace compounds is currently less substantial than that supporting THC and CBD, and a regulatory body that’s already aggressive in pursuing false claims may doubt the efficacy of these products unless the data points otherwise. The scientific landscape, however, is changing due to the new-fangled ability to actually conduct research. Regardless, the advent of these cannabinoids improves the value of alternative production methods for these molecules like biosynthesis, blurring the lines between lab-made and field-grown, creating more complicated and confusing supply chains that may negatively impact the industry.
Examples of Low Hanging Fruit
Nutrients: Rather than focusing exclusively on cannabinoids, the industry should look for diverse ways that the plant can improve human well-being. If the intention is to continue focusing on cannabis production for supplement markets and general wellness, nutrients provide an interesting class of chemicals derived from the plant. While a fully decriminalized or legal cannabis regimen may have markets for broad arrays of cannabinoids, the reality is that many consumers will settle for THC- and CBD-dominant products within this framework, as evidenced by current preferences, perhaps because that’s all they’ve known about for many decades.
Flavonoids: A handful of candidates to replace cannabinoids as ideal candidates for a hemp supplement or wellness market have already been identified, yet research and development still lack, perhaps due to persistently lacking funding. Cannflavin testing is increasingly promising with recent tests identifying its potential as an analgesic [4], yet efforts to develop supply stocks and processing capabilities lag. Cannabis produces around 20 different kinds of flavonoids and they can compose up to 1% of the plant’s composition. [5] Other exciting flavonoids in cannabis like apigenin have shown promise as a replacement for benzodiazepines [6], while the readily abundant quercetin shows anti-inflammatory properties and is regularly used as an herbal supplement. [7] Indeed, flavonoids have the greatest potential and strongest regulatory pathway for any major class of compounds and greater effort should be placed on their development. [8] Flavonoids are found in all parts of the plant but most abundantly in the leaves and early in the plant’s life cycle. [9]
While the current orthodoxy is to synthesize major flavonoids in a lab [10,11], little attention has been given to alternative cultivation methods or processing techniques that may prove fruitful. Indeed, almost no effort has gone into traditional breeding programs to develop cultivars better suited for flavonoid production and outside extraction and little thought has been given to how to process this compound. The scant research that has been done indicates that sprouting hemp seeds [12] and juicing cannabis leaves [13] may be viable methods for amassing flavonoids. These techniques lend themselves to a new vision for cannabis, one that may more readily square with a healthy lifestyle that already involves eating microgreens and fresh juices.
Flavonoids allow cannabis products to return to the realm of nutrients, one in which they already excel. Hemp seeds have been leveraged as a rich source of omega fatty acids [14] and processed into milk. Sprouting and juicing these seeds can deliver similar benefits and more, namely cannflavins, however, not insignificantly certain vitamins and minerals. The ability to derive nutritionally rich compounds through less intensive means is reason enough to explore these new cultivation approaches; however, the industry still seems to overlook these avenues. This is striking considering the reality that increasing energy use, water consumption, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) concerns (which are becoming par for the course for extractors and cultivators) would be addressed due to the low demands and less intensive processing required for these alternate approaches. Comparisons between the distinctions in cilantro and coriander cultivation and processing are useful visuals for imaging alternative manufacturing paradigms for cannabis. While both come from Coriandrum sativum, cilantro often refers to the leaves and stalks of the plant used as an herb, while coriander refers to the seeds which are used as a spice.
Beauty and Skincare Applications: Beyond nutrition, the applications for the plant within the beauty and skincare realms may hold additional promise. Topicals are slightly better positioned than ingestibles in exploring new and novel applications of cannabis given the historical breadth of this category. Many traditional preparations of decoctions and poultices and other topical remedies have little contemporary parallel yet are easily reproducible products whose benefits and mechanisms of actions are not yet fully understood. Cannabinoid-infused topicals may have a stronger pathway toward federal approval given the limitations facing cannabinoid ingestibles making them great canvasses for further exploring what else the plant can provide. The increasing use of cannabis seed oil, the emergence of cannabis root-based products, and multi-plant formulations speak to a broader appreciation of the plant and recognition of its potential. [15]
The Plant of 1,001 Molecules [6] is increasingly refined into the Plant of One Particular Chemical (e.g., isolates), and even when not, these products still represent an upper bound on the amount of the plant we can experience. This range of single cannabinoid goods, starting with cannabinoid isolates and going all the way to terpene entourages, doesn’t extend far enough and really only covers a fraction of the chemicals found in the plant. Exploring applications for compounds, especially through the low-hanging fruit of molecules like flavonoids, should be pursued. In addition to better situating the industry to survive in supplement and cosmetic markets, it also offers a path for a rewarding relationship with the plant that could benefit manufacturers and consumers alike. Indeed, embracing new techniques can help open the doors to unlocking the potential behind even more exotic and trace compounds, helping us fully realize this plant’s therapeutic power
References
[1] Hasse, J. More potent than CBD, THC: Dr. Raphael Mechoulam explains his latest discovery. Forbes, published July 12, 2020; accessed December 8, 2020.
[2] US Food & Drug Administration. What you need to know (and what we’re working to dind out) about products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds, including CBD, updated March 5, 2020; accessed December 8, 2020.
[3] New Frontier Data. The three waves of hemp fiber production. New Frontier website. published July 27,2020; accessed December 8, 2020.
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[11] Winkel-Shirley B. Flavonoid biosynthesis. A colorful model for genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, and biotechnology. Plant Physiol. 2001;126(2):485-493.
[12] Werz O, Seegers J, Schaible A., et al. Cannflavins from hemp sprouts, a novel cannabinoid-free hemp food product, target microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 and 5-lipoxygenase. PharmaNutrition. 2014;2(3):53-60.
[13] Russo EB. History of cannabis and its preparations in saga, science, and sobriquet. Chem Biodivers. 2007;4(8):1614-1648.
[14] Farinon B, Molinari R, Costantini L, Merendino N. The seed of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.): nutritional quality and potential functionality for human health and nutrition. Nutrients. 2020;12(7):1935.
[15] Utroske, D. Upcycled Cannabis Root: Jennifer Grant has a new idea about clean beauty ingredients. Cosmeticsdesign. com; published October 27, 2020; accessed December 9, 2020.
