Did you know that other plants also produce cannabinoids?

CANNABINOIDS
For years, it was believed that only the cannabis plant could produce cannabinoids. Research in recent years, however, has discovered that it is not only this plant that can produce such chemical compounds, and that they are even widespread!

For years, it was believed that only the cannabis plant could produce cannabinoids. Research in recent years, however, has discovered that it is not only this plant that can produce such chemical compounds, and that they are even widespread!

What are cannabinoids exactly?

Cannabinoids are lipid-based molecules that all act to some extent on the cannabinoid receptors that form one of the primary components of the endocannabinoid system. Cannabinoids are produced by plants (the best known being the cannabis plant), but also by the bodies of humans and most other animal species, and can also be synthesized in the laboratory.

The cannabinoids produced by plants are called phytocannabinoids, those produced by the body are called endocannabinoids, while the molecules synthesized in the laboratory are called synthetic cannabinoids.

Most cannabis users have certainly heard of classic cannabinoids such as THC, CBD, THCV and CBC. For years it has been thought that they are the only compounds acting on the cannabinoid receptors. These cannabinoids all share the same chemical formula, C21H30O2.

However, as we deepen our knowledge of the endocannabinoid system, we have discovered that the number and type of different compounds that act on these receptors far exceed what we first thought.

In light of these findings, we need to change the criteria for what constitutes a cannabinoid - beyond the 120 or so classic cannabinoids, there is an undetermined number of related compounds that also act on receptors but do not share the same classical structure.

And what are the cannabimimetic compounds?

In addition to cannabinoids, there is also an important class of unconventional cannabinoid compounds known as cannabimimetics because they literally mimic the biological activity of conventional cannabinoids, despite their different structure.

This helichrysum contains CBG or similar compounds (© plantzafrica.com) This helichrysum contains CBG or similar compounds (© plantzafrica.com)
These cannabimimetic compounds are of growing importance in the world of medicinal cannabinoid research. Until then, the endocannabinoid system (EC) was considered a simple set consisting of two receptors and two ligands (a term that refers to a compound that binds to a receptor).

However, more and more evidence suggests that the EC system is much more complex. Dozens of different compounds have been found that act directly or indirectly on the EC system, and many of them are also involved in other biological signaling systems, such as opioid, serotonergic and dopaminergic signaling systems.

Some examples of known cannabimimetic compounds:

NAE and N-alkylamides
N-acylethanolamines are a class of fatty acid compounds that are widely implicated in biological signaling systems. NAE includes N-arachidonoylethanolamines (better known as anandamides), N-palmitoylethanolamines (PEA), N-linoleoylethanolamides (LEA), and N-oleoylethanolamines (OEA).

Anandamide is well known as the biological compound whose activity most closely resembles that of THC in that it acts directly as agonist of the main cannabinoid receptors. It is now known that anandamide also acts as an agonist of a third receptor called GPR119 which is also affected by N-oleoylethanolamine.

In addition to acting directly on the main and secondary cannabinoid receptors, it is also known that NABs exert a range of indirect effects. For example, LEA, PEA, and OEA inhibit the levels of FAAH enzymes responsible for the degradation of anandamide, which can increase levels of anandamide in tissues over time.

Similar N-alkylamide compounds have not been the subject of much research, but are also part of the class of cannabimimetic compounds. They have been shown to exert selective effects on CB receptors and have anti-inflammatory effects similar to those of anandamide.

Beta-caryophyllene
This important terpene is found in cannabis, and it is its oxidized form (in contact with the air) that is perceived by dogs drug detectors! Beta-caryophyllene has been shown to act as a complete CB2 receptor agonist, although it does not act on CB1 receptors.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects were also observed in mice, but not in mice crossed to be free of CB2 receptors, showing that its biological action is mediated through the receptors themselves.

Salvinorin A
Salvinorin A is the main constituent of the psychoactive plant Salvia divinorum. Hallucinogenic phytocomposites are normally alkaloids - mescaline, psilocybin and DMT - but salvinorin A is unusual in that it is a terpenoid. Moreover, it is classified as a dissociative hallucinogen, and not a classical one.

More interestingly, it appears that salvinorin A does not interact with conventional cannabinoid receptors, but rather with a putative third receptor that apparently only forms upon inflammation, and acts as an opioid kappa receptor (k-opioids). ). K-opioid receptors play an important role as analgesics, and are also the main targets of most hallucinogenic compounds!

myrcene

Myrcene is another important terpene found in cannabis. It is also one of the main constituents of the essential oil of hops. Although it is not believed that myrcene acts directly on the cannabinoid receptors, it has been shown that its biological activity modifies the psychoactive effects of THC.

Myrcene is found in high concentrations in cannabis strains that cause users to feel stoned or stuck to the couch. The sedative effects of plants that contain myrcene, such as hops and verbena, have been known for millennia. It is now believed that these effects are due to its opioid receptor (activation) agonist activity (studies have shown that the opioid antagonist blocks the effects of myrcene, suggesting that myrcene is an agonist).

Thus, although myrcene does not specifically belong to the group of cannabinoids according to the scientific literature, it certainly affects the subjective experience of high cannabis. Researchers will undoubtedly determine the exact nature of this link; Currently, although testing laboratories, such as Steep Hill Halent in California, have been collecting data for years, no formal study has been conducted to date.

Plants that produce cannabimimetic compounds

First, there is an abundance of plant sources of terpenes such as β-caryophyllene and myrcene, but some sources are richer. Myrcene is found in very high concentration in the oil of hops, representing nearly 80% of the extraction volume of some varieties. Mango, lemongrass, thyme and verbena are also very rich in myrcene.

Β-caryophyllene is found in black pepper, cloves, rosemary, hops, caraway, oregano, basil, lavender, cinnamon and many other plant species. The essential oil of most of these species contains a large amount of β-caryophyllene (20% in some hop species).

Salvinorin A is much rarer, and appears to be present in large quantities only in S. divinorum. However, evidence indicates that other sage species contain traces of the compound in question or very similar molecules.

NAE, including OAE, PEA and LEA, have been found in several plant species. In particular, OAE and LEA are found in the cocoa plant, while black truffles are reported to contain anandamine! Finally, the N-alkylamide compound was found in several echinacea species, and the importance of this plant in natural medicine could be related to this compound.

Eventually, the list of plants containing cannabimimetic compounds will lengthen drastically, while researchers continue to discover compounds capable of acting on the EC system.