CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF CANNABIS; REVIEW
M.Musa1, M A. Adnan 2, A.U Sulaiman1, U Abdulmumin1, H. A Kwazo1
1Department of Chemistry, Shehu Shagari Colleege of Education, Sokoto, Nigeria.
2Department of Chemistry, University of Anbar, Iraq.
E-Mail: mustaphamusa63@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Cannabis is an annual dioecious plant, known by the Name cannabis sativa L and belongs to the member of the family Cannabaceae. Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabinol (CBN) and Cannabidiol (CBC) are among the major chemical components of cannabis but the presence of cannabinol (CBN) in the sample can indicate that the sample is not fresh. Since Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is known to oxidize to cannabinol (CBN) over time, it is assumed that the higher the amount of CBN in a sample the older the sample and the rate at which Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol degrade to cannabinol per year is seven per cent. This work comparatively reviewed the quantification methods of cannabis which includes Presumptive test, thin layer chromatography, Supercritical fluid chromatography with atmospheric pressure, chemical ionisation mass spectroscopic detection, High-performance liquid chromatography and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry. Because of GC-MS accuracy, linearity, quickness, efficiency, reproducibility, precision and resolution in quantification of cannabis, it is chosen to be the best analytical method used in the quantification of cannabis as it was also recommended by United Nation Recommended Methods for the Identification and Analysis of Cannabis and Cannabis Products.