Cannabis Science Overview – Plant Tissue Cultures and Dosing

CHAPTER II Cannabis Science 101 Cannabis Plant Tissue Cultures Synthetic cannabinoids and terpenes can be manufactured by modifying plant-based compounds or through tools of synthetic biology and biocatalysis. For example, a synthetic version of THC known as dronabinol is the active compound in the pharmaceutical product Marinol, which was approved by the FDA in 1985 for use in treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy. Methods for biosynthetic production of cannabinoids have been patented in the United States. Some medical practitioners and cannabis users have found synthetic compounds to be less effec- tive than plant-based cannabinoids and have attributed this reduced efficacy to the lack of an entourage effect. Dosage, Safety and Side Effects Cannabis dosing schedules provided by doctors and producers generally lack scientific rigor and, although industry participants strive to create a reliable dosing framework, users generally determine dosage through self-titration and trial and error. (This method of dosing does not always lead to the desired effect, but it is generally agreed that there is a low risk of death from an overdose of cannabis.) Product packaging commonly indicates that a 10-mg serving of cannabinoids represents one dose, and servings of 2 mg to 5 mg are commonly characterized as “microdoses.” Examples of representative dosage amounts used to treat some common medical conditions are presented in the following table. © 2017 Ackrell Capital, LLC | Member FINRA/SIPC 29 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_024665