Don’t Throw Away Those Cannabis Leaves – They’re Packed With Rare Compounds

Stellenbosch University researchers identify rare phenolic compounds in Cannabis leaves for the first time.

Chemists at Stellenbosch University (SU) have uncovered the first evidence of a rare group of phenolic compounds, known as flavoalkaloids, in Cannabis leaves.

Phenolic compounds—particularly flavonoids—are highly valued in the pharmaceutical field because of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic effects.

In their study, the researchers analyzed three commercially cultivated Cannabis strains from South Africa and identified 79 distinct phenolic compounds. Of these, 25 had never before been reported in Cannabis, and 16 were tentatively classified as flavoalkaloids. Notably, these rare compounds were found primarily in the leaves of just one strain. The findings were published in the Journal of Chromatography A.

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