Good news! Due to continuing research, the potential of cannabis is becoming abundantly clear. Nearly 150 phytocannabinoids have been found within the cannabis plant, though few have been isolated and studied. This is because in the US, cannabis remains illegal at the federal level. Thus, performing comprehensive analysis is difficult. Additionally, most strains of cannabis are THC- or CBD-dominant, making the isolation and study of minor cannabinoids even more difficult to find out if THCP is stronger than THC. Recently, however, Italian researchers discovered a new cannabinoid — THCP (tetrahydrocannabiphorol). This cannabinoid is botanically similar in structure and performance to THC. Is. THCP stronger than THC?
In a possible medical breakthrough, the researchers identified THCP as a distinct cannabinoid potentially having major therapeutic implications. They found that THCP molecule’s structure is elongated, with seven links, as compared to five links in the psychoactive THC. The length of this side chain has been shown to play a significant role in the psychoactive effects in the body. Research indicates that THCP’s elongated side chain seems to bond more vigorously to the CB 1 and CB 2 receptors than THC. (CB 1 receptors are found in neurons and are sensitive to the modulating effect on neuronal activity by cannabinoids; and cannabinoids are implicated in the modulation of immune cell functioning by CB 2 receptors). When the researchers checked the enhanced binding of THCP to human CB 1 and CB 2 receptors, they found that this psychoactive substance was 33 times more active than THC on the CB 1 receptor, and 5 to 10 times more active than THC on the CB 2 receptor. Therefore, THCP’s pharmacological effects could reasonably be expected to be greater than THC on both the CB 1 and CB 2 receptors.
In conclusion, one fundamental presumption of the study is that THCP may be the reason that people can have significantly divergent experiences with cannabis – with even the same dose of THC. While the plant’s hallucinogenic effects are believed to be primarily due to THC, they may be, in fact, due to THCP or novel and powerful cannabinoids not yet identified. Developing additional data on the pharmacologic effects of THCP could facilitate the creation of extracts with improved results in humans. Another fascinating implication the study suggests that breeds of cannabis that don’t seem to be THC- or CBD-dominant should be cultivated for further research. Analysis of cannabis has progressed in recent years, and strains that yield higher quantities of minor cannabinoids like CBDV, CBG, and THCV could change our understanding of cannabis. Cultivating strains with predominantly minor cannabinoids could lead to consumer advantages from these minor cannabinoids’ specific pharmacologic effects. Research indicates that comprehensive study of additional cannabinoids is needed. The identification and testing of minor cannabinoids and currently unknown cannabinoids may well provide insights that could revolutionize medicine.