Cannabinoid compounds

Allosteric modulation lets molecules reshape CB receptor behaviour without occupying the main binding site. Here's what the chemistry actually looks like.

Raw cannabis contains cannabinoid acids, not the neutral forms we usually discuss. Here's what decarboxylation actually does at the molecular level, and why it matters.

How does a cannabis plant actually build THC and CBD from scratch? A look at the biosynthetic pathways, key enzymes, and why CBGA sits at the centre of it all.

A receptor-level look at how CB1, CB2 and beyond translate a chemical signal into cellular action — the mechanics behind cannabinoid signalling explained.

Cannabinoid tolerance involves CB1 receptor downregulation, desensitisation and internalisation. See what the molecular biology shows, and what it doesn't.

CBC research status explained: the chemistry, early receptor pharmacology and the gaps that remain for this lesser-known cannabinoid, in plain terms.

CBD is one of cannabis's most studied phytocannabinoids — but what does it actually do at the molecular level, and what does Australian regulation say about it?

CBDV is a propyl-chain cannabinoid with a distinct receptor profile from CBD. Here's what the chemistry and early research actually show — and what remains unresolved.

CBG is the precursor behind most cannabinoids. Here is what the chemistry, receptor data and research status of CBG actually tell us, and what they do not.

CBN is an older, less-studied cannabinoid. See what its chemistry and pharmacology show, and where the research status still falls short of the claims.

Delta-8-THC sits one double bond away from delta-9, but that small shift changes its pharmacology, legal status, and research profile considerably. Here's what the science actually shows.

Three classes of cannabinoid — endogenous, phytogenic, and synthetic — share receptor targets but differ profoundly in origin, chemistry, and legal status. Here's how they compare.

Full-spectrum, broad-spectrum and isolate describe how a cannabis extract is composed. Here is what each term means and why the distinction matters.

THC chemistry, receptor binding and pharmacokinetics explained, plus its Schedule 8 status under Australian law and what the research does and doesn't show.

THCV shares a structural skeleton with THC but behaves very differently at cannabinoid receptors. Here's what the chemistry and early research actually show.

Geranyl pyrophosphate is the ten-carbon precursor behind both cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis. Here is how the pathway works and why it matters.

Cannabidiol is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant that is the subject of extensive scientific and regulatory attention.

Cannabigerol is a minor, non-intoxicating cannabinoid often described as a chemical precursor to other cannabinoids in the plant.

Cannabichromene (CBC) is a non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid found in Cannabis sativa L. that does not bind strongly to CB1 or CB2 receptors but interacts with several other receptor targets, and ranks among the most abundant cannabinoids in the plant alongside CBD and THC.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid found primarily in Cannabis sativa L., structurally distinct from THC and notable for its low binding affinity at classical cannabinoid receptors.

Cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) is the carboxylated precursor to cannabidiol (CBD), found predominantly in raw, uncured cannabis and hemp plant material before decarboxylation converts it to CBD via heat or prolonged light exposure.

Cannabidiphorol (CBDP) is a naturally occurring phytocannabinoid structurally analogous to cannabidiol (CBD), distinguished by a seven-carbon alkyl side chain in place of CBD's five-carbon chain.

Cannabidivarin (CBDV) is a non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid found in cannabis and hemp plants, structurally analogous to cannabidiol (CBD) but with a shortened propyl side chain in place of CBD's pentyl chain.

Cannabielsoin (CBE) is a minor phytocannabinoid and known metabolite of cannabidiol (CBD), characterised by a unique benzofuran-type ring structure that distinguishes it from most other plant-derived cannabinoids.

Cannabigerol (CBG) is a non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid found in Cannabis sativa that serves as the biosynthetic precursor to the major cannabinoid classes, including THC, CBD, and CBC.

Cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) is the biosynthetic precursor to all major phytocannabinoids in Cannabis sativa, formed when olivetolic acid and geranyl pyrophosphate are combined by the enzyme geranylpyrophosphate:olivetolate geranyltransferase.

Cannabicyclol (CBL) is a minor, non-intoxicating cannabinoid formed primarily through the photo-oxidative degradation of cannabichromene (CBC) in the cannabis plant.

Cannabinol (CBN) is a mildly psychoactive cannabinoid that forms when THC oxidises and degrades over time, and is typically present at low concentrations in aged cannabis plant material.

Cannabinodiol (CBND) is a fully aromatised, naturally occurring phytocannabinoid found in trace quantities in Cannabis sativa, structurally characterised by a dibenzopyran ring system with no double bonds in the cyclohexyl ring.

Cannabicitran (CBT) is a naturally occurring minor cannabinoid found in Cannabis sativa L., characterised by a tricyclic ring structure and currently under early-stage investigation for its receptor-binding profile.

Delta-10-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ10-THC) is a minor, naturally occurring cannabinoid found in trace quantities in Cannabis sativa, and a structural isomer of delta-9-THC that differs in the position of its double bond along the cyclohexene ring.

Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8-THC) is a minor cannabinoid found in trace quantities in Cannabis sativa L., structurally distinguished from the more abundant delta-9-THC by the position of a double bond along the cyclohexene ring.

Exo-THC (exo-tetrahydrocannabinol) is a stereoisomer of delta-9-THC in which the double bond configuration is exo to the cyclohexene ring, producing a distinct three-dimensional geometry at the molecule's active site compared with the more commonly studied endo forms.

Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) is a hydrogenated form of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in which the double bond at the 9,10 position of the cyclohexyl ring has been saturated with hydrogen atoms, producing a structurally distinct cannabinoid that binds to CB1 and CB2 receptors.

Terpenes are a large class of aromatic organic compounds found in many plants, including cannabis, where they contribute to scent and flavour.

Tetrahydrocannabinol is the principal intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis and is a controlled substance in Australia.

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary psychoactive phytocannabinoid found in Cannabis sativa, acting as a partial agonist at CB1 and CB2 receptors within the endocannabinoid system.

Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) is the non-intoxicating acidic precursor to THC found abundantly in raw, unheated cannabis plant material.

Tetrahydrocannabiphorol (THCP) is a naturally occurring phytocannabinoid first identified in 2019, structurally analogous to Δ9-THC but distinguished by a seven-carbon alkyl side chain rather than a five-carbon chain, a difference associated with markedly higher binding affinity at CB1 receptors in laboratory assays.

Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) is a naturally occurring phytocannabinoid found primarily in Cannabis sativa, structurally analogous to THC but with a propyl rather than pentyl side chain, producing distinct pharmacological interactions at cannabinoid receptors.