Title:Cannabis Phenolics and their Bioactivities
VOLUME: 25 ISSUE: 10
Author(s):Federica Pollastro*, Alberto Minassi and Luigia Grazia Fresu
Affiliation:Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Department of Health Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara
Keywords:Non-cannabinoids, antioxidant, flavonoids, spiroindans, lignans, Cannabis sativa L.
Abstract:Background: Although Cannabis sativa L. is one of the most versatile plant species with
multipurpose use both as medical, alimentary source and as psychoactive abuse, its biomedical relevance
focused the attention on major cannabinoids. Phytochemical characterization of cannabis highlights
the presence of various non-cannabinoids constituents including flavonoids, spiroindans, dihyrostilbenes,
dihydrophenanthrenes, lignanamides, steroids and alkaloids. This review aims to identify
polyphenols present in this plant, their biosynthesis, their bioactivities and their synthesis, when this
occurred.
Methods: We undertook a systematic research focused on bibliographic databases including all noncannabinoids
phenolics in various C. sativa strains from their isolation, structural elucidation, their biological
activity to their synthesis.
Result: Nevertheless, attention has so far been focused only on cannabinoids (more than one hundred
isolated), cannabis is a complex plant able to produce more than 480 chemical entities that represent
almost all of the different biogenetic classes. Regarding phenolic compounds, the plant biosynthesises a
plethora of unique non-cannabinoids second metabolites, such as prenylated flavonoids, stilbenoids derivatives
and lignanammides.
Conclusion: Cannabis is a plant with high pharmacological and nutrition values, its potentialities and
applications are not only circumscribed to cannabinoids biological activities, but also defined by noncannabinoid
compounds. The combination of other cannabinoids together with noncannabinoid components
could enhance the beneficial effects of THC and could reduce undesirable side effects.
