The main active ingredient in all cannabis products is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC or simply THC), also known by its international common name (DCI) as dronabinol.
THCa or tetrahydrocannabinolic acid is the non-psychotropic cannabinoid found in raw and live cannabis.
THC or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is the active psychotropic cannabinoid. They share a very similar chemical composition. The difference between the two cannabinoids is the addition of a carboxyl group to the THCa.Marijuana comes from a plant called hemp. Its scientific name is Cannabis sativa. The main active ingredient in marijuana is THC (short for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). This ingredient is found in the leaves and floral parts of the marijuana plant.
Hashish is a substance extracted from the tops of female marijuana plants. It contains the highest amount of THC. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the active chemical in cannabis and is one of the oldest known hallucinogenic drugs. There is evidence that the Chinese used cannabis extracts as an herbal remedy as early as the first century A.D.
Cannabis comes from the blossoming leaves and tips of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa (shown in the image on the right). For centuries, this plant has been widely cultivated around the world for its fibers, and in fact, the word canvas, which is a material made from woven hemp fibers, takes its name from cannabis. However, cannabis is more commonly known as the source of the marijuana drug, although the word marijuana applies both to the whole plant and to the resin it contains (although it is also sometimes referred to as hashish). Cannabis contains approximately 60 different psychoactive substances called cannabinoids, of which the most important is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
It is also believed that THCa, along with some of the other acidic forms of cannabinoids, may work by inhibiting the enzymes COX-1 and COX-2, which could reduce pain and inflammation. These compounds are found in the form of essential oils in many plants and some are involved in the formation of vitamins, steroids, pigments and odors. By extracting juice from leaves and buds, patients can increase their daily intake of cannabinoids, since they do not involve psychoactivity. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained in this document is strictly prohibited without authorization.
