New research on Colombian-grown cannabis reveals “significant phytochemical diversity” in the plants, uncovering what authors say are “four distinct chemotypes based on cannabinoid profile” as well as plants that are rich in uncommon terpenes.
The findings “underscore Colombia’s capacity to pioneer global C. sativa production,” the study says, “particularly in South America with new emerging markets.”
The diversity in compounds produced by Colombian cannabis plants could benefit not only growers—for example, by increasing resistance to pests and other pathogens—but also the development of unique medical marijuana products, says the study, published in the journal Phytochemical Analysis.
One factor behind the observed biological diversity could be Colombia’s varied environmental zones, the research says. The country is home to snow-covered volcanoes, tropical beaches, deserts, grasslands, rainforest and more. That variety also contributes to Colombia’s other agricultural industries, such as coffee.
Authors of the new study, from universities in Columbia, Germany and the United States, sought out licensed cultivators of medical marijuana across Colombia. Ultimately, growers donated 156 samples from 17 total cultivation sites, representing seven provinces and five different regions.
“The significant amount of usually uncommon terpenes suggests that Colombia’s environments may have unique capabilities that allow the plant to express these compounds.”
Cultivators were asked to report if the samples were local varieties, imported or a hybridization of the two, as well as whether the marijuana was grown indoors, outdoors or in a greenhouse.
Even before chemical analysis, the samples varied widely in terms of structure and color.
“Our evaluations unveiled a wide spectrum of phenotypic diversity within the C. sativa flowers,” the paper says. “We observed that some inflorescences exhibited compact and densely structured forms, while others presented a more open and airy architecture. The color ranged from light and warm hues to dark and subdued shades.”
Analyzing the cannabinoids found in each sample, the eight-person research team divided the Colombian-grown cannabis into four different types: THC dominant (Type I), CBD dominant (Type III), CBG dominant (Type IV) and “balanced” (Type II).
While the different chemotypes weren’t found exclusively in one region or another—the Type I, THC-dominant strains were widely distributed across the country, for example—certain geographic trends nevertheless emerged.
For example, marijuana grown in the South Central and Amazon region displayed the highest THC-A levels (32.5 percent), while those from the so-called Coffee Triangle region returned the highest CBD-A concentrations (25.4 percent). Pacific and Caribbean growing regions, meanwhile, were “consistently higher” in both CBD-A and THC-A, authors wrote.
“Moreover, we found that varieties from South Central and Amazon regions exhibited much higher levels of CBDV, THCV, and CBGA compared to other regions,” the study says, adding: “This diversity in cannabinoid profiles highlights the importance of considering regional variations in C. sativa cultivation and its potential implications for medical and recreational applications.”
Scientists also measured levels of 23 different terpenes across the samples, finding that, in general, THC-dominant, Type I varieties showed the greatest diversity in the compounds.
“Overall, Type I varieties exhibited significantly higher contents of terpenes (>0.03%), whereas Type IV samples showed lower levels (<0.03%),” authors wrote. “Upon analyzing balanced and CBD dominant varieties, β-myrcene emerged as the most abundant terpene, while nerolidol 2 predominated in chemotypes I and IV.”
The report says observed differences in the samples may be due both to genetic and environmental factors.
“The broad spectrum of colors, shapes, and aromas of the collected flower samples may not only reflect distinct genetic origins, but also individual adaptative responses to the diverse environmental conditions within their cultivation regions (altitude, humidity, precipitation, soil characteristics, intensity, and duration of sunlight exposure, among others),” it explains. “This phenotypic plasticity is consistent with the high level of heterozygosity and polymorphisms which give rise to the remarkable adaptative potential reported for C. sativa.”
As for the variety of terpenes detected in the cannabis samples, authors said they found not only terpenes “commonly abundant in commercial C. sativa chemovars in North America such as β-myrcene, d-limonene, and β-caryophyllene,” but also “high levels of otherwise minor terpenes…such as linalool, cis-nerolidol, and trans-nerolidol.”
“These results suggest the interesting possibility that Colombian varieties may have unique terpene profiles that may not only benefit the C. sativa industry by providing resistance against pests and pathogens at industrial cultivation sites, but may also result in unique therapeutic benefits and, therefore, distinct medicinal chemistry applications,” authors wrote.
Overall, just under half (43.7 percent) of samples were reported by growers as “local,” while a slightly greater proportion (48.7 percent) were described as hybrids between local and imported cultivars. “Only 7.7% were reported to have been imported, presumably from North America and the EU,” the study notes, “where a multitude of commercial seed banks are already established.”
“This suggests that cultivars traditionally grown in Colombia before cannabis legalization may have permeated the legal medicinal market and that breeding programs between local and imported cultivars may have been implemented by Colombian cultivators in the last years,” it adds.
Notably, none of the growers reported samples being cultivated indoors. Instead, cultivation was split between greenhouses (71.8 percent) and outdoor grows (28.2 percent).
Authors said the study “presents the first metabolic characterization of Cannabis sativa plants cultivated legally in Colombia, revealing significant metabolic diversity in medicinal Colombian cannabis.”
“These findings imply that Colombian C. sativa may contribute to the global chemical diversification of medicinal cannabis, thereby facilitating novel applications in medicinal chemistry,” the team concluded. “Future investigations should incorporate whole-genome sequencing of the analyzed samples to provide a more comprehensive understanding. Additionally, the impact of environmental factors should be assessed by comparing the metabolic and genetic profiles of plants from the same genetic pools cultivated across diverse ecological regions in Colombia.”
As more jurisdictions in the Americas and globally move to legalize and regulate cannabis production, there’s also been growing interest in identifying and preserving the genetic variety of the species. For example, in California—one of the world’s most famous legacy cultivation regions—a state-funded effort is underway to analyze the genetic information of various marijuana strains.
The goal of the project is to answer two questions, according to a presentation held earlier this month at UC Berkeley: “What are California’s cannabis legacy genetics?” and “What are legacy cultivation regions?”
It ultimately aims to “legally protect as intellectual property the individual and collective genetic resources of legacy cannabis breeders and legacy cannabis cultivation communities,” organizers said.
Findings from the project could also help lay the groundwork for California’s ambitious Cannabis Appellations Program, a representative for the team said. That program, which is still in the rulemaking phase, aims to identify and protect legacy historical regions akin to how France regulates regional wines.
It’s possible the research could also help better distinguish different marijuana strains. Critics have noted for years that retail cannabis strain labeling can be misleading. (Not to mention, calling them “strains” at all is somewhat imprecise.)
The latest research also comes as scientists come to better understand the roles and interactions between cannabinoids and other chemical components of marijuana, such as terpenes.
A report published earlier this year in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, for example, says the “complex interaction between phytocannabinoids and biological systems offers hope for novel treatment approaches,” laying the groundwork for a new era of innovation in cannabis-based medicines.
“The plant Cannabis exhibits an effect called the ‘entourage effect’, in which the combined actions of terpenes and phytocannabinoids results in effects that exceed the sum of their separate contributions,” it continues. “This synergy emphasizes how important it is to consider the entire plant when utilizing cannabinoids medicinally as opposed to just concentrating on individual cannabinoids.”
Another recent study looked at the “collaborative interactions” between cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids and other molecules in the cannabis plant, concluding that a better understanding of the relationships of various chemical components “is crucial for unraveling cannabis’s complete therapeutic potential.”
Other recent research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that a citrusy-smelling terpene in marijuana, D-limonene, could help ease anxiety and paranoia associated with THC. Researchers similarly said the finding could help unlock the maximum therapeutic benefit of THC.
A separate study last year found that cannabis products with a more diverse array of natural cannabinoids produced stronger psychoactive experiences in adults, which also lasted longer than the high generated by pure THC.
And a 2018 study found that patients suffering from epilepsy experience better health outcomes—with fewer adverse side effects—when they use plant-based CBD extracts compared to “purified” CBD products.
Scientists last year also discovered “previously unidentified cannabis compounds” called flavorants that they believe are responsible for the unique aromas of different varieties of marijuana. Previously, many had thought terpenes alone were responsible for various smells produced by the plant.
Similar phenomena are also beginning to be recorded around psychedelic plants and fungi. In March, for example, researchers published findings showing that use of full-spectrum psychedelic mushroom extract had a more powerful effect than chemically synthesized psilocybin alone. They said the findings imply that mushrooms, like cannabis, demonstrate an entourage effect.
Separately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has now approved at least two types of genetically modified hemp that may now be grown and bred in the United States.
One variety, dubbed “Badger G,” does not produce THC or CBD but is designed to have higher levels of the cannabinoid CBG. It’s at least the second type of genetically modified hemp to get the OK another modified plant, which produces lower levels of THC and CBC, was approved in October.
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New research on Colombian-grown cannabis reveals “significant phytochemical diversity” in the plants, uncovering what authors say are “four distinct chemotypes based on cannabinoid profile” as well as plants that are rich in uncommon terpenes. The findings “underscore Colombia’s capacity to pioneer global C. sativa production,” the study says, “particularly in South America with new emerging Read More