Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, known as the “Father of CBD,” announced research into synthetic cannabinoids, saying they could be more potent than natural cannabinoids.
At a press conference, he said: “This is exciting, unprecedented research. We took the plant's unstable molecules and synthesized them to provide a stable, consistent foundation for investigating diseases and new treatments, from central nervous system disorders to inflammation.”
Dr. Mechoulam has been at the forefront of cannabis research for six decades.
Between 1963 and 1965, he successfully isolated and synthesized cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In 1992, he identified the endocannabinoids anandamide and 2-AG, leading to discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
For more about Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, read A brief history of CBD.
The future of cannabis
Mechoulam and his team created HU-380, an acid methyl ester mimicking the effects of the cannabinoid acid CBDA. CBDA is potent but unstable. Slight temperature changes or ultraviolet exposure can break it down, whereas HU-380 is much more resilient.
“A particular compound enhances serotonin's effect,” Mechoulam explained in a keynote at the CannaMed research conference. “Serotonin and dopamine are two major neurotransmitters, extremely important in many diseases.”
Synthetic cannabinoids remain at the research stage. Coming years will show how much they are preferred over natural ones. In our view, they will be developed to enhance CBD's effect or for medicines rather than directly to make CBD oil.
