Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid

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Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid
Skeletal formula of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid
Ball-and-stick model of the tetrahydrocannabinolic molecule
Systematic (IUPAC) name
(6aR,10aR)-1-hydroxy-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6a,7,8,10a-tetrahydro-6h-benzo[c]chromene-2-carboxylic acid
Clinical data
Legal status
  •  ?
Identifiers
CAS Number 23978-85-0
ATC code none
PubChem CID: 98523
ChemSpider 88974
Chemical data
Formula C22H30O4
Molecular mass 358.4733 g/mol
  • CCCCCC1=CC2=C([C@@H]3C=C(CC[C@H]3C(O2)(C)C)C)C(=C1C(=O)O)O

Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA, Δ9-THCA, 2-COOH-THC), is a biosynthetic precursor of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active component of cannabis.[1][2][3][4] When purified, it forms a powder which is unstable in the presence of acids, heat, oxygen, and/or light.[5][6]

THCA is found in variable quantities in fresh, undried cannabis, but is progressively decarboxylated to THC with drying, and especially under intense heating such as when cannabis is smoked[7] or cooked into cannabis edibles.

Pharmacological effects

THCA does not have any known psychoactive effects on humans in its own right.[8] It does have antiinflammatory,[9] neuroprotective,[10] antiemetic (anti-vomitting)[11] and anti-prostate cancer effects.[12] It inhibits COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes involved in inflammation in human colon cell cultures.[9] It has also been shown to decrease the amount of oxidative stress caused by impairment of mitochondria which is a major mechanism in neural degeneration in mouse mesencephalic cell cultures.[10]

Uses

Despite the ready decarboxylation by drying or heating ex vivo, conversion of THCA to THC in vivo appears to be very limited, giving it only very slight efficacy as a prodrug for THC.[13] Consequently it is believed to be important in less-psychoactive preparations of cannabis used for medical use, such as cannabis tea.[14]

THCA is commonly used as a biomarker in drug testing along with THCV, to distinguish between prescribed synthetic Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, such as Marinol, and cannabis plant material which may also be used by patients.[15]

Legal status

THCA is not scheduled by the United Nations' Convention on Psychotropic Substances.[16]

United States

THCA is not scheduled at the federal level in the United States,[17] but it is possible that THCA could legally be considered an analog of THC and sales or possession could potentially be prosecuted under the Federal Analogue Act.[18]

There is also a practical legal issue of potential THC contamination of THCA which should be considered. As mentioned above, THCA decarboxylates to form THC, a Schedule I controlled substance. As such it is somewhat unlikely that any sample of THCA which may be analytically tested will not contain a quantifiable amount of THC, especially if the sampled product was retained at temperatures conducive to decarboxylation. This makes it likely that possession of THCA could get someone prosecuted for possession of THC due to contamination of the THCA with THC.[original research?]

See also

References

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  5. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid (Δ9-THCA) @ Aphios.com
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  16. Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971
  17. §1308.11 Schedule I.
  18. Erowid Analog Law Vault : Federal Controlled Substance Analogue Act Summary