Cannabis, coca leaf, and coffee all have one thing in common—they contain alkaloids. Alkaloids are a group of medicinal compounds found in plants worldwide. While our understanding of cannabis alkaloids is still limited, they are believed to have significant medical benefits, much like other plant alkaloids.
Alkaloids are among the most common chemicals found in plants with medicinal properties. Well-known alkaloids include morphine, cocaine, nicotine, caffeine, quinine, and ephedrine. The name “alkaloid” stems from “alkali,” referring to chemicals that act as bases and can neutralize acids. Alkaloids are typically found in the outer tissues of plants and contribute to their bitter taste, which acts as a natural defense mechanism against herbivores. Similarly, cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis also help prevent predation.
Alkaloids differ from cannabinoids in several ways. While cannabinoids like THC, CBD, CBG, and THCv are oily, lipophilic (fat-binding), and hydrophobic (water-repelling) compounds, alkaloids belong to a different class of chemicals. The key chemical difference lies in the presence of a nitrogen atom in all alkaloids that binds with additional hydrogen atoms. On the other hand, cannabinoids lack any nitrogen atoms and consist of carbon chains that give them their oily nature.
Despite these differences, both alkaloids and cannabinoids can be extracted from plants through burning or chemical extraction. These methods have been used for thousands of years to extract caffeine from coffee beans or obtain cannabinoids by smoking cannabis or brewing it as a tea.
Cannabis is an incredibly complex plant with over 500 reported compounds. Of these compounds, 125 have been identified as cannabinoids. Additionally, cannabis contains 42 phenolics, 34 flavonoids, 120 terpenes, and at least two alkaloids. However, there is ongoing debate regarding the number of alkaloids present in cannabis.
Interestingly, the discovery of alkaloids in cannabis predates the discovery of the first cannabinoid, CBN, by more than a decade. In 1881, the alkaloid cannabinine was presented at the British Pharmaceutical Conference. Two years later, another physiologically active alkaloid called tetanocannabin was discovered. However, research on cannabis alkaloids remained dormant until the 1970s.
In 1971, scientists isolated four different alkaloids from cannabis known as cannabimines A-D. In 1975, researchers at the University of Mississippi (UMiss) identified and isolated the first spermidine alkaloid, cannabisativine, from Mexican and Thai cultivars. They later discovered another spermidine alkaloid called anhydrocannabisativine. Since then, anhydrocannabisativine has been found in cannabis samples from various geographical locations.
Similar to cannabinoids’ distribution within the plant, alkaloids are not evenly distributed across different parts of the cannabis plant. Research has consistently shown that while roots are not a significant source of cannabinoids or terpenes, they are rich in other compounds such as alkaloids. Alkaloids can also be found in stems and leaves but are primarily concentrated in the roots.
While much is still unknown about the specific medical potential of cannabis alkaloids, it is believed that they possess anti-inflammatory properties among other beneficial effects. Alkaloids as a class of compounds have been used as analgesics, antibiotics, anticancer drugs, antiarrhythmics, asthma medications, antimalarials, bronchodilators, laxatives, miotics, oxytocics, vasodilators, psychotropics, and stimulants. It is likely that cannabis alkaloids also possess similar therapeutic properties. One study found that cannabis alkaloids have diuretic, analgesic, anticancer, antipyretic, and antiemetic effects.
In summary, alkaloids are a common group of medicinal chemicals found in plants. While they are still not well-understood in cannabis, early research suggests that cannabis alkaloids have significant medical potential as part of the entourage of medicinal compounds present in the plant. Further research is needed to fully explore and unlock the therapeutic benefits of cannabis alkaloids.
