Optimització de la cromatografia de gasos per a la separació i quantificació de cannabinoides d'una planta de Cannabis Sativa

Abstract

The following project is focused at the development of a new method to exctract, concentrate, analyze and calculate the concentration of terpenes, cannabinoids and other natural components and metabolites of a Cannabis Sativa plant. Terpenes are the components that are in charge of the aromas and flavors of the plants (even if it has to be swallowed or smoked). Cannabinoids are the active ingredients that can have therapeutic, pharmacological and cosmetic uses. Most of this cannabinoids activates the endocannabinoid system through the Cannabinoid Receptor 1 (CB1) and Cannabinoid Receptor 2 (CB2), which are located at the Central Nervous System (CNS). The most commonly used cannabinoid is the Δ⁹-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), that when it couples with the CB1 and CB2, it has psychoactive effects, such as alteration of the perception, illusions or hallucinations; increased libido and even more. Not all the cannabinoids has this recreational uses, in fact, THC is the only one that has this purpose. Components such as Cannabidiol (CBD) or Cannabigerol (CBG) has a lot of medical and therapeutic uses, and is legal (or at least, aren’t strictly illegal). This therapeutic uses can go from anxiolytic or depressor, to improve the standard of living to patients with Parkinson or Multiple Sclerosis. To classify a C. Sativa plant as a therapeutic or for industrial uses, it should have a concentration of less than 0.2% of Δ⁹-THC. In order to know this, and that of another 30 more, we will use the Solid/Liquid extraction and GC-MS techniques.