Improper Storage: Conversion of CBD into Psychotropic Compounds
With the boom in Hemp production that hit the United States shortly before the lockdowns, quarantines, and restrictions - one thing we do know is there's quite a bit of Hemp CBD sitting in storage....
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With the boom in Hemp production that hit the United States shortly before the lockdowns, quarantines, and restrictions – one thing we do know is there's quite a bit of Hemp CBD sitting in storage. The Global Cannabinoid Research Center focuses on consumer affairs – and with knowledge of how the cannabinoid can convert we dug into research on this topic.
Interestingly, in 2020 when German researchers with extensive history in the extractions and preparations of cannabinoid medicine addressed the conversion of Cannabidiol (CBD) into multiple Psychoactive compounds of the plant, they found that it already converts on it's own. This information is critical to the entire formulation and development industry in the world of cannabinoid medicine that reaches from medicinal investigative preparations to the vast CBD nutraceutical market.
The most clinically relevant piece of evidence determined in this review in favor of CBD’s conversion to psychotropic metabolites is that the cannabinoid will naturally do this during improper storage. For example, CBD may cyclize to Δ9-THC in certain storage conditions, even though both compounds are further degraded to CBN, which in turn may exhibit psychotropic effects itself. The findings indicate that within both animal and human models that CBD did not convert at all from it's metabolic state like it can in long term storage.
Researchers called for a special need for manufacturers to include shelf-life studies dedicated to the long-term stability of CBD in the finished products, considering the formation of psychotropic compounds by the degradation of CBD.
As well the team that studied conversions of CBD to THC felt the need to investigate into testing for compounds or conditions that help to prevent or slow down CBD degradation. This would be comparable to antioxidants used to protect lipid compounds in food from oxidation.
The researchers concluded that a conversion of CBD to the psychotropic forms Δ9-THC and Δ8-THC upon treatment with strong acids was doubtlessly proved by many publications. Some of these findings were demonstrated to also occur under in vitro conditions, e.g., by using artificial gastric juice for incubation. The transfer of these results to in vivo conditions seems to be the major point of the ongoing controversy as the in vivo conversion of CBD to Δ9-THC was not supported by the majority of the animal studies, where neither Δ9-THC nor one of its metabolites 11-hydroxy-THC and 11-COOH-THCA were detected in blood or in brain tissues. A
Adding to this, neither Δ9-THC nor any of its metabolites were detected after oral CBD administration in any of the human studies. Difficulties arising from detection methods such as GC/MS and LC-MS/MS may help to explain some of the contradictory results, contributing to the ongoing debate.
Nevertheless, most of the published data support the conclusion that upon oral consumption of CBD products, a conversion of CBD to an amount of Δ9-THC that exceeds the threshold of pharmacological action is not very likely in the human organism.
A comprehensive risk assessment of CBD products, however, not only requires the monitoring of an in vivo formation of Δ9-THC (or other psychotropic cannabinoids) but also the pre-consumption reactions occurring in the product itself. The strongest and the most clinically relevant piece of evidence determined in this review in favor of CBD’s conversion to psychotropic metabolites is during improper storage.
Conversion of Cannabidiol (CBD) into Psychotropic Cannabinoids Including Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): A Controversy in the Scientific Literature
Published online 2020 Jun 3. doi: 10.3390/toxics8020041
Abstract
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a naturally occurring, non-psychotropic cannabinoid of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa L. and has been known to induce several physiological and pharmacological effects. While CBD is approved as a medicinal product subject to prescription, it is also widely sold over the counter (OTC) in the form of food supplements, cosmetics and electronic cigarette liquids. However, regulatory difficulties arise from its origin being a narcotic plant or its status as an unapproved novel food ingredient. Regarding the consumer safety of these OTC products, the question whether or not CBD might be degraded into psychotropic cannabinoids, most prominently tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), under in vivo conditions initiated an ongoing scientific debate. This feature review aims to summarize the current knowledge of CBD degradation processes, specifically the results of in vitro and in vivo studies. Additionally, the literature on psychotropic effects of cannabinoids was carefully studied with a focus on the degradants and metabolites of CBD, but data were found to be sparse. While the literature is contradictory, most studies suggest that CBD is not converted to psychotropic THC under in vivo conditions. Nevertheless, it is certain that CBD degrades to psychotropic products in acidic environments. Hence, the storage stability of commercial formulations requires more attention in the future.
Moral of this GCRC article? Store your cannabis and hemp wisely. Store your already processed CBD COLD. If you sell bulk cannabinoids and store CBD for any long period of time over 120 days – and it's exposed to light or heat – it should be analytically tested again.
–Mike Robinson, Founder – Global Cannabinoid Research Center
This article is educational commentary from GCRC. It is not a report of study findings and is not medical advice. Speak with a qualified healthcare professional about your own health.
