MONITORING METHOD FOR THE DECARBOXYLATION OF CANNABINOIDS IN CANNABIS SATIVA L. EXTRACTS AT ASSOCIAÇÃO TERAPÊUTICA CANNABIS MEDICINAL FLOR DA VIDA

Abstract

The Associação Terapêutica Cannabis Medicinal Flor da Vida provides formulations based on ethanolic extracts of C. sativa inflorescences for the treatment of associated patients. To evaluate cannabinoid decarboxylation in the extract, a Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) method was developed. This method identifies cannabinoids in both their acidic and decarboxylated forms, allowing verification of whether the cannabinoids in the extract and final product are in their pharmacologically active form (i.e., decarboxylated). The monitoring of the decarboxylation process, assessing the presence of CBDA, THCA, CBD, THC, and CBN (the main degradation product), was performed using reversed-phase TLC (C18; methanol: water with 0.2% acetic acid 92:08 v/v), observing under ultraviolet light (λ 254 nm) and further revealed by nebulizing sulfuric vanillin solution. The TLC technique proved to be efficient for monitoring the decarboxylation and degradation of cannabinoids in the extracts, enabling adjustments and optimizations in the production process. The ability to observe THCA, CBDA, and CBN under UV light makes the method practical, eliminating the need for chemical reagents.

Keywords: Chromatography, Thin Layer; Quality Control; Chromatography, Reverse-Phase; Cannabinoids; Decarboxylation.