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.

CB1 receptor downregulation explains why THC's effects shift with repeated exposure. Here's what the molecular biology actually shows — and what it doesn't.

CBC is one of the least-studied major cannabinoids. Here's what the chemistry and early pharmacology research actually shows — and where the gaps still are.

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 starts as the mother cannabinoid in every hemp plant. Here's what the chemistry, receptor data and current research actually tell us about it.

CBN is one of cannabis's older, less-studied cannabinoids. Here's what the chemistry and pharmacology actually show — and where the research still falls short.

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's chemistry, receptor binding and pharmacology explained — plus its current Schedule 8 status under Australian law and what the research actually shows.

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

Before THC or CBD exists in a cannabis plant, a modest five-carbon molecule starts a biosynthetic chain reaction. Here's how geranyl pyrophosphate makes it possible.

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.