On the Therapeutic Possibilities of Some Cannabinoids

Abstract

Cannabis has been used as a therapeutic agent since ancient times. Li (1974) and Rosenthal (1971) have described its use by the ancient Chinese and in medieval Arab society. Walton (1938) and more recently Mikuriya (1973) have summarized the medical use of cannabis in Europe during the nineteenth and early twentieth century. In spite of the very promising and rather non-toxic effects of the drug, its use rapidly declined due to the notorious variability of crude cannabis preparations. The advances made since the determination of the structure of cannabidiol in 1963, the isolation in pure form and structure elucidation of delta-1-THC in 1964, and the development of various synthetic routes during the middle sixties (Mechoulam, 1973) have clarified the chemistry and pharmacology of the cannabinoids and have made possible initiation of research into the use of pure natural or synthetic cannabinoids as drugs.