Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is a natural chemical found in cannabis and is associated primarily with the intoxicating effects of marijuana. Recently, it has also aroused much controversy in the context of its use in the treatment of certain diseases and related ailments. Is THC and the so-called Medical marijuana is the new panacea?

THC , i.e.tetrahydrocannabinolordelta-9-tetrahydrocannabinolis one of 65 substances belongs to the group of cannabinoids identified in plants of the genus hemp. THC is responsible for the psychoactive effects of marijuana, i.e. the dried cannabis plant.

What is THC?

There are several chemical forms (isomers) of THC that differ in the position of the double bond. THC and other cannabinoids are secondary metabolites that are involved in the self-defense of plants against herbivores or ultraviolet radiation.

The high concentration of THC in cannabis is found in the resin secreted by glands on female flowers. In the plant, cannabinoids are synthesized and stored as cannabinoid acids, but during drying, storage and heating, these acids gradually decarboxylate to their biologically active forms, e.g. delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

THC was first isolated in 1964 by Israeli chemist Raphael Mechoulam. He also conducted extensive research that led to the discovery of other cannabinoids.

THC - types of cannabis

There are several different species of cannabis, which differ in both their physical characteristics and the content of the individual cannabinoids. Cannabis indica is a short plant with wide, dark green leaves and a high THC content.

In contrast, hemp (Latin Cannabis sativa) is usually taller and has thin, light green leaves and a very low THC content.

You should also bear in mind that the THC content of the cannabis plant may be varied by variety. Some cannabis strains can contain as little as 0.3% THC by dry weight. On the other hand, in other varieties, THC can make up 20% of the dry weight.

THC - molecular mechanism of action

Cannabinoids like THC exert their biological effects mostly through interactions with the endocannabinoid system andcannabinoid receptors. THC is similar to the cannabinoids our body produces.

Examples of such "natural" cannabinoids are anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG).

The psychoactive effect of THC is due to its agonistic (i.e. simply activating) action on the CB1 cannabinoid receptor. The cannabinoid CB1 receptor is located mainly in the central nervous system, especially in the substantia nigra, basal ganglia, limbic system, hippocampus and cerebellum.

In addition, it can be found in the peripheral nervous system, liver, thyroid, uterus, bones and testicular tissue.

In these tissues, the receptor mediates the modulation of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters such as:

  • dopamine,
  • gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA),
  • glutamate,
  • serotonin,
  • noradrenalina
  • and acetylcholine.

Due to the involvement of this receptor in the regulation of many systems, THC has an influence, among others. on cognitive functions, memory, motor coordination, time perception, appetite and pain sensation.

Another receptor that can be affected by THC is the cannabinoid CB2 receptor, located mainly in cells of the immune system, the spleen and the digestive system, and to a lesser extent in the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Interestingly, both the cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors are found in the human placenta and have been shown to play an important role in the process of embryonic development.

THC - effect on the human body

Due to its similar chemical structure to the natural cannabinoid anandamide, THC can activate similar signaling pathways in the body. Thus, THC can stimulate the brain cells to release dopamine, thereby inducing a state of euphoria and relaxation.

It can also disrupt information processing in the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for memory and the formation of new memories. A person under the influence of THC also develops an altered perception of time, concentration and learning disorders.

Additionally, THC has a noticeable effect on appetite and pain perception.

How is THC different from CBD?

The second dominant ingredient in hemp is cannabidiol, or CBD for short. Both THC and CBD interact with the endocannabinoid system but exhibit different effects on it.

Contrary to THC, CBD weakly activates CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, hence it has no psychoactive effect.

THC and CBD can be found in both hemp and cannabis. However, cannabis contains much more THC,while hemp has a lot more CBD and little THC.

CBD is believed to reduce the psychoactive effects of THC, thereby increasing the safety of cannabis-derived medicinal products containing both cannabinoids. However, this interaction has not been fully elucidated and requires further research.

THC - application

Cannabis (due to its high THC content) is the most widely used illegal drug in the world, second only to other legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco. In recent years, attention has also been paid to the use of cannabinoids in the cannabis plant for medical purposes.

The wide range of their action makes the cannabinoids they contain good candidates for the treatment of many ailments, including nausea, loss of appetite, muscle spasticity, epilepsy and chronic pain.

Cannabinoids are usually prescribed as adjuvant therapy or when the patient does not respond well to standard treatment.

Interestingly, cannabis for medicinal purposes was already used over 5000 years ago in today's Romania. It can be seen that their popularity in medical circles is experiencing a real "renaissance". Therefore, in recent years, the number of countries that have legalized therapeutic cannabis (also known as medical or medicinal marijuana) has increased.

Read: Prescription Marijuana? Medical uses of marijuana

One of them is the United States, which has legalized the use of "medical marijuana" since the beginning of 2022. Several states have even legalized the drug for recreational use! In Poland, "medical marijuana" has been legal since November 2022. The condition for the purchase is to obtain a prescription issued by every medical doctor, except a veterinarian.

Drugs that contain a specific amount of THC and / or CBD can be used to treat:

  • chronic pain accompanying e.g. cancer, fibriomalgia
  • muscle spasticity e.g. in multiple sclerosis
  • insomnia
  • lack of appetite e.g. in people with AIDS
  • nausea and vomiting
  • anxiety
  • glaucoma
  • some types of epilepsy, e.g. drug-resistant
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Alzehimer's disease
  • anorexia
  • of Tourette's band
  • post-traumatic stress disorder
  • inflammatory diseases of the intestine, e.g. Crohn's disease

THC can be extracted directly from cannabis, e.g. the drug Sativex, which contains a standardized hemp extract (2.7 mg THC and 2.5 mg CBD). In addition, THC can be artificially synthesized inlaboratory, e.g. the drug dronabinol, which contains a synthetic form of THC.

It should be emphasized, however, that although these drugs are widely used in the treatment of various diseases and alleviating their symptoms, their effectiveness in certain indications has not been well studied.

THC - routes of administration

The three most common ways of administering THC are inhalation by smoking, inhalation of the vapor (vaporization), and consumption of hemp-based foods. The method of administration may alter the intensity and duration of the psychoactive effects of THC.

Although smoking is the most common way to administer cannabis THC, vaporization is becoming more and more popular. It has smoking-like effects while reducing exposure to combustion by-products and possible carcinogens, thereby reducing adverse respiratory symptoms.

When smoking or vaporizing, THC is very quickly transferred from the lungs into the blood after the first smoke inhalation. THC is highly lipophilic, therefore it is easily transferred to well supplied tissues and then to adipose tissue. Inhaling THC produces maximum blood levels within minutes and the psychoactive effects become apparent within seconds to minutes.

These effects are maximal after 15-30 minutes and wear off within 2 to 3 hours. After oral consumption of THC, the psychoactive effects appear within 30 to 90 minutes, reach their maximum effect after 2-3 hours, and last for about 4 to 12 hours, depending on the dose of THC taken.

Detoxification of THC occurs mainly in the liver by cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4. About 50% of the THC is excreted in the faeces and 20% in the urine.

THC - side effects

Although THC has been approved as a drug in many countries, it has the potential to lead to addiction and behavioral disorders, and its intensive use may increase the risk of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia.

THC may cause side effects such as:

  • increased heart rate
  • irregular heartbeat
  • vasodilation
  • slow breathing
  • problems with motor coordination
  • excessive appetite
  • dry mouth and throat
  • redness of the eyes
  • slower reaction time to stimuli
  • memory loss
  • anxiety
  • panic
  • paranoia and hallucinations
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