Cannabis sativa L.

C. indica Lam; C. ruderalis Janisch

Cannabaceae

Ganja; hashish; Indian hemp; marihuana; marijuana

Cannabis sativa L., folium cum flore

Extract of leaves and flowers

Cannabis contains a wide range of cannabinoids, which are the major active compounds and unique to cannabis. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive constituent and the cause of many of the central nervous system (CNS) effects of cannabis. However, other cannabinoids, which are non-cannabimimetic (such as cannabidiol, cannabinol, cannabigerol, cannabichromene, tetrahydrocannabivarin and cannabidivarin) are increasingly being investigated for their pharmacological and therapeutic properties. Cannabinoids are often found in the plant as their acid metabolites, but are decarboxylated at high temperatures (i.e. when smoked), whereas medicinal cannabis products are heat-treated to ensure they are present in the non-acid form. There are many other, non-cannabinoid, components including terpenes, carotenoids and flavonoids (Russo 2011). Pharmaceutically, a product made from a standardised extract of cannabis herb grown from genetically characterised strains of the plant is becoming more widely available as a sublingual spray. It contains specified amounts of THC and cannabidiol. Delta-9-THC is also made synthetically (known as dronabinol) and is marketed in the form of capsules for oral administration.