Simultaneous and sensitive analysis of THC, 11-OH-THC, THC-COOH, CBD, and CBN by GC-MS in plasma after oral application of small doses of THC and cannabis extract.

Besides the psychoactive Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), hashish and marijuana as well as cannabis-based medicine extracts contain varying amounts of cannabidiol (CBD) and of the degradation product cannabinol (CBN). The additional determination of these compounds is interesting from forensic and medical points of view because it can be used for further proof of cannabis exposure and because CBD is known to modify the effects of THC. Therefore, a method for the simultaneous quantitative determination of THC, its metabolites 11-hydroxy-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC) and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH), CBD and CBN from plasma was developed. The method was based on automatic solid-phase extraction with C(18) ec columns, derivatization with N,O-bistrimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide (BSTFA), and gas chromatography-electron impact ionization-mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS) with deuterated standards. The limits of detection were between 0.15 and 0.29 ng/mL for THC, 11-OH-THC, THC-COOH, and CBD and 1.1 ng/mL for CBN. The method was applied in a prospective pharmacokinetic study after single oral administration of 10 mg THC alone or together with 5.4 mg CBD in cannabis extract. The maximum plasma concentrations after cannabis extract administration ranged between 1.2 and 10.3 ng/mL (mean 4.05 ng/mL) for THC, 1.8 and 12.3 ng/mL (mean 4.9 ng/mL) for 11-OH-THC, 19 and 71 ng/mL (mean 35 ng/mL) for THC-COOH, and 0.2 and 2.6 ng/mL (mean 0.95 ng/mg) for CBD. The peak concentrations (mean values) of THC, 11-OH-THC, THC-COOH, and CBD were observed at 56, 82, 115, and 60 min, respectively, after intake. CBN was not detected. Caused by the strong first-pass metabolism, the concentrations of the metabolites were increased during the first hours after drug administration when compared to literature data for smoking. Therefore, the concentration ratio 11-OH-THC/THC was discussed as a criterion for distinguishing oral from inhalative cannabis consumption

Distinct Neurobehavioural Effects of Cannabidiol in Transmembrane Domain Neuregulin 1 Mutant Mice

The cannabis constituent cannabidiol (CBD) possesses anxiolytic and antipsychotic properties. We have previously shown that transmembrane domain neuregulin 1 mutant (Nrg1 TM HET) mice display altered neurobehavioural responses to the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Here we investigated whether Nrg1 TM HET mice respond differently to CBD and whether CBD reverses schizophrenia-related phenotypes expressed by these mice. Adult male Nrg1 TM HET and wild type-like littermates (WT) received vehicle or CBD (1, 50 or 100 mg/kg i.p.) for 21 days. During treatment and 48 h after withdrawal we measured behaviour, whole blood CBD concentrations and autoradiographic receptor binding. Nrg1 HET mice displayed locomotor hyperactivity, PPI deficits and reduced 5-HT2A receptor binding density in the substantia nigra, but these phenotypes were not reversed by CBD. However, long-term CBD (50 and 100 mg/kg) selectively enhanced social interaction in Nrg1 TM HET mice. Furthermore, acute CBD (100 mg/kg) selectively increased PPI in Nrg1 TM HET mice, although tolerance to this effect was manifest upon repeated CBD administration. Long-term CBD (50 mg/kg) also selectively increased GABAA receptor binding in the granular retrosplenial cortex in Nrg1 TM HET mice and reduced 5-HT2A binding in the substantia nigra in WT mice. Nrg1 appears necessary for CBD-induced anxiolysis since only WT mice developed decreased anxiety-related behaviour with repeated CBD treatment. Altered pharmacokinetics in mutant mice could not explain our findings since no genotype differences existed in CBD blood concentrations. Here we demonstrate that Nrg1 modulates acute and long-term neurobehavioural effects of CBD, which does not reverse the schizophrenia-relevant phenotypes

A review of bioanalytical techniques for evaluation of cannabis (Marijuana, weed, Hashish) in human hair

Cannabis products (marijuana, weed, hashish) are among the most widely abused psychoactive drugs in the world, due to their euphorigenic and anxiolytic properties. Recently, hair analysis is of great interest in analytical, clinical, and forensic sciences due to its non-invasiveness, negligible risk of infection and tampering, facile storage, and a wider window of detection. Hair analysis is now widely accepted as evidence in courts around the world. Hair analysis is very feasible to complement saliva, blood tests, and urinalysis. In this review, we have focused on state of the art in hair analysis of cannabis with particular attention to hair sample preparation for cannabis analysis involving pulverization, extraction and screening techniques followed by confirmatory tests (e.g., GC–MS and LC–MS/MS). We have reviewed the literature for the past 10 years’ period with special emphasis on cannabis quantification using mass spectrometry. The pros and cons of all the published methods have also been discussed along with the prospective future of cannabis analysis

Thermal quarantine of stored apples and its influence on changes in mechanical properties of fruit flesh

W przedstawionej pracy wykonano próbę zastosowania zabiegu termicznego dla jabłek odmiany Gloster oraz Jonagold przechowywanych w chłodni zwykłej jak i komorze ULO (1,5%O2 + 2,4%CO2). Analizowano wpływ takich czynników jak czas składowania, zmiana warunków przechowywania oraz obróbki termicznej (kwarantanny) na zachowanie właściwości sprężystych miąższu jabłek, które są ważnym czynnikiem wpływającym na utrzymanie wysokiej jakości owoców podczas składowania oraz obrotu towarowego Owoce podczas składowania pobierano sukcesywnie z obu komór (co 30 dni) a następnie ogrzewano przez 96h w temperaturze 39°C. Surowiec składowano po tym zabiegu przez 17 dni w temp. 6°C. Efekt kwarantanny porównywano z próbą kontrolną. Z miąższu owoców pobierano próbki walcowe (d=13 mm, h=10 mm), które poddawano testom ściskania. Kwarantanna przeprowadzona w tych warunkach powodowała utrzymanie wyższej sprężystości oraz spoistości próbek miąższu owoców świeżych oraz przechowywanych w komorze ULO. Ogrzewanie surowca znajdującego się w stanie bardziej zaawansowanej dojrzałości (pobieranego z chłodni zwykłej) powodowało spadek sprężystości miąższu owoców odmiany Gloster lub brak istotnych różnic w porównaniu z próbą kontrolną (odmiana Jonagold).The study presents a test of using a thermal treatment for Gloster and Jonagold apples stored in a regular cool store and in the ULO chamber (1.5%O2 + 2.4%CO2). The influence of the following factors were analysed: time of storing, change of storing conditions and thermal processing (quarantine) on maintaining resilient properties of apple flesh, which are significant factors influencing the maintenance of high quality of fruit during storing and during the goods turnover. Fruit were successively taken from both chambers during storing (every 30 days) and then they were heated for 96 hours in the temperature of 39°C. The raw material was stored after thetreatment for 17 days in the temperature of 6°C. The effect of quarantine was compared to a control sample. Cylinder samples (d=13 mm, h=10 mm) were collected from the fruit flesh, which were later subject to compression tests. Quarantine carried out in these conditions resulted in maintaining higher elasticity and cohesion of the fresh fruit flesh samples and those stored in the ULO chamber. Heating the raw material, which is considerably riper (collected from the regular cooling room,) caused decrease of elasticity of flesh of Gloster apples or no significant differences in comparison to the control sample (Jonagold variety)

Dynamics of changes of the selected textural properties of apples during secondary storing

W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań dotyczące wpływu czasu i temperatury na wybrane cechy teksturalne jabłek podczas wtórnego przechowywania. Jabłka trzech odmian przechowywano w chłodni zwykłej i z kontrolowaną atmosferą, a następnie dodatkowo w komorze chłodniczej. Badania właściwości mechanicznych przeprowadzono przy pomocy aparatu Instron 4302, stosując test przebijania skórki i test penetrometryczny miąższu. Stwierdzono wyraźną zależność pomiędzy analizowanymi właściwościami mechanicznymi jabłek a czasem i warunkami ich dodatkowego przechowywania. Zmiany jędrności miąższu i zmiany odporności skórki na przebicie jabłek z chłodni ULO w zależności od czasu wtórnego przechowywania opisano przy pomocy równań drugiego stopnia. Stwierdzono, że jabłka z chłodni ULO po dodatkowym przechowywaniu przez 20 dni mają dalej jędrność miąższu akceptowalną przez konsumentów (Fm > 60 N).Research results concerning the impact of time and temperature on the selected textural properties of apples during secondary storing. Three varieties of apples were stored in a regular cool store and with controlled atmosphere and then additionally in a cooling chamber. Research on mechanical properties was carried out with the use of Instron 4302 apparatus applying the skin punch test and the penetrometric test of flesh. Clear relation between the analysed mechanical properties of apples and time and conditions of additional storing was reported. Changes of the flesh firmness and changes of skin resistance against punching of apples from the ULO cool store depending on the secondary time of storing were described with the use of equations of the second degree. It was found that apples from the ULO cool store after additional storing for 20 days still have the firmness of flesh acceptable by consumers (Fm > 60 N)

The impact of humidity and vertical pressure on unit flow resistance values for air flowing through the barley grain layer

W artykule przedstawiono wyniki badań dotyczące przepływu powietrza przez ziarno jęczmienia. Celem pracy było zbadanie wpływu wilgotności i nacisku pionowego na wielkość oporu przepływu powietrza przez warstwę ziarna jęczmienia. Pomiary przeprowadzono na surowcu o wilgotności od 14 do 22%, przy zmiennym obciążeniu jego warstwy od 0 do 70 kPa w okresie siedmiu dni od momentu napełnienia zbiornika. Prędkość przepływu powietrza zmieniano w zakresie od 0,1 do 1,0 m s-1. Wykazano kluczowe znaczenie prędkości przepływu powietrza i wilgotności surowca na wartość oporu hydraulicznego.The article presents the results of the research on air flow through the barley grain. The purpose of the work was to examine the impact of humidity and vertical pressure on flow resistance value for air flowing through the barley grain layer. The measurements were carried out for material with humidity ranging from 14 to 22%, for its layer loading changing from 0 to 70 kPa within seven days after filling the container. The air flow velocity was changing from 0.1 to 1.0 m s-1. The research has proven key impact of the air flow velocity and material humidity on hydraulic resistance value

Morphometric features of rye caryopses stored in a silo

Praca przedstawia metodykę i wyniki oceny zmian cech geometrycznych ziarna żyta odmiany Słowiańskie po przechowywaniu w warunkach symulowanego laboratoryjnie obciążenia. Naciski o wartościach 35, 52 oraz 70 kPa były wywoływane w specjalnych cylindrach symulujących warunki przechowywania w silosie. Celem pracy było ustalenie przebiegu zmian cech geometrycznych nasion w zmiennych warunkach ich przechowywania (wilgotności: 14, 16, 18 20, 22 i 24% i temperaturze: 6°C oraz 20°C). Pomiary cech geometrycznych przeprowadzono z użyciem systemu SVISTMET. Wyniki badań wskazują, że zmiany wielkości ziaren (statystycznie nieistotne) występują tylko w skrajnych warunkach przechowywania (20°C, 52 i 70 kPa) w warunkach wysokiej ich wilgotności (ponad 20%), która była głównym czynnikiem tych zmian. Kształt ziaren, wyrażony zdefiniowanym współczynnikiem, ulegał zmianom tylko w warunkach podwyższonej wilgotności (20-24%) i nacisku (70 kPa), co związane jest ze zwiększona plastycznością ziaren.The work presents methodology and evaluation of changes of geometric features of rye grain of Slavic variety after storing in the conditions of load simulated in a laboratory. Pressures of 35, 52 and 70 kPa value were incurred in special cylinders which simulated conditions of storing in a silo. The purpose of the work was to determine the course of changes within geometric features of grains in variable conditions of storing (humidity: 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24% and temperature: 6°C and 20°C). Measurements of geometric features were taken with the use of SVISTMET system. The results of the research prove that changes in the grain size (statistically insignificant) occur only in extreme storing conditions (20°C, 52 and 70 kPa) in the conditions of their high moisture (over 20%), which constituted the main factor of these changes. Grain shape, expressed with a defined coefficient, was subject to changes only in the conditions of raised moisture (20-24%) and pressure (70kPa) which is connected with increased elasticity of grains