Cannabis Oil: chemical evaluation

of an upcoming cannabis-based
medicine
INTRODUCTION
Cannabinoids are known to exert palliative effects in cancer patients such as reducing
nausea, vomiting and pain, and stimulating appetite. Preclinical evidence has also shown
cannabinoids being capable, under some conditions, of inhibiting the growth and development,
and arresting the cell cycle of cancer cells. Although researches are on-going, there is currently
not much solid evidences that proves cannabinoids whether natural or synthetic can
effectively treat cancer in humans.
Anecdotal reports on cannabis have been helpful in providing hints on the biological
processes of the endocannabinoid system, and on the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids. The
antiemetic, appetite-enhancing, analgesic and muscle relaxant effects, and therapeutic use of
cannabinoids in Tourettes syndrome have been discovered in this manner. Cannabis also
exerts antineoplastic activity in some cancer patients, but even so, supports of cannabinoids as
anticancer drugs are still poor.
In the recent years, an increasing number of patients have been using Cannabis oil, a
concentrated extract from the buds and leaves of the cannabis plant. Various non-polar solvents
have been recommended for this purpose, including petroleumether, naphtha (diesel or
kerosene), alcohol and olive oil. The purpose of the extraction, often followed by a solvent
evaporation step, is to make cannabinoids and other beneficial components such as terpenes
available in a highly concentrated form. In general, preparation methods for Cannabis oil are
relatively simple and do not require particular instruments. For this reason, people who have
access to cannabis, either home grown or obtained from licensed pharmacies, or even the black
market, may prepare it at home by themselves.
Rick Simpson a Canadian who claims to have cured his skin cancer through repeated topical
application of Cannabis oil. In his website and documentary, Run from the Cure, it is explained
in detail how to prepare and administer the product. The method suggests the use of naphtha or
petroleum ether as a solvent for the extraction, without specifying a particular quality or source.
Soon after, a number of recipes have sprung up, with small but significant changes. Examples
include focusing on extraction with safer solvents such as ethanol, or preventing exposure to
organic solvents altogether, by using olive oil.
With a growing interest in Cannabis oil for self-medication it is important not to overlook the
importance of quality control and standardization. In this regard it should be noted that none of
the production methods for Cannabis oil have been validated, and no reports have been made
on the chemical composition of these products either. As a result, although many believe

Cannabis oil may cure cancer, no one seems to know what is actually in it. Instead, the positive
effects of Cannabis oil are based almost exclusively on case reports by people who have used
it. This research evaluates the effects of preparation methods, and particularly the solvents
used, on the final composition of the different Cannabis oils. The obtained results are not
intended to support or deny the therapeutic properties of these products, but may be useful for
better understanding the experiences of self-medicating patients through chemical analysis of
this popular medicine.

DEFINITON OF TERMS
1)Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plant that includes three species or subspecies, sativa,
indica, and ruderalis. The plant is indigenous to Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It is
more commonly known as Marijuana or Hemp.
2)Cannabinoids
There are over 480 natural components found within the Cannabis sativa plant, of which 66
have been classified as "cannabinoids;" chemicals unique to the plant. Like opiates (substances
derived from the opium poppy such as heroin), cannabinoids affect the user by interacting with
specific receptors, located within different parts of the central nervous system. The actual effects
that the cannabinoids have reflect the areas of the brain they interact with. Interactions tend to
occur in our limbic system.
3)Terpenes
Terpene is any of a large group of volatile unsaturated hydrocarbons found in the essential oils
of plants, especially conifers and citrus trees.
4)Cannabis Oil
Cannabis oil is a thick, sticky, resinous substance made up of cannabinoids, such as THC
(tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), that is extracted from the cannabis plant.
5)Rick Simpson Oil
Named after Rick Simpson, a medical marijuana activist, who has been providing people with
information about the healing powers of Hemp Oil medications for nearly a decade now. Rick
cured himself of a metastatic skin cancer back in 2003, and has since then devoted his life to
spreading the truth of hemp oil.