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In vitro activation of the CB<sub>1</sub> receptor by the semi-synthetic cannabinoids hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), hexahydrocannabinol acetate (HHC-O) and hexahydrocannabiphorol (HHC-P)
Natl Board Forens Med, Dept Forens Genet & Forens Toxicol, SE-58758 Linkoping, Sweden.
Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Natl Board Forens Med, Dept Forens Genet & Forens Toxicol, SE-58758 Linkoping, Sweden.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4222-9597
European Monitoring Ctr Drugs & Drug Addict EMCDDA, Portugal.
Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Natl Board Forens Med, Dept Forens Genet & Forens Toxicol, SE-58758 Linkoping, Sweden.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8015-5728
2025 (English)In: Drug Testing and Analysis, ISSN 1942-7603, E-ISSN 1942-7611, Vol. 17, no 4, p. 487-493Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Semi-synthetic cannabinoids (SSCs) including hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) are emerging on the drug market and sold openly as purportedly legal replacements for cannabis and Delta(9)-THC. By the beginning of 2024, 24 European countries had identified HHC, often sold openly in edibles (foods/candy), vapes and low-THC cannabis flowers and resins. The SSC market is developing rapidly, with HHC acetate (HHC-O), hexahydrocannabiphorol (HHC-P) and others recently identified. These developments may mark the first major change in the market for 'legal' replacements to cannabis since 'Spice' containing synthetic cannabinoids, such as JWH-018, emerged in 2008. Currently, there are some data available on the pharmacology of SSCs, which is crucial for understanding their effects, evaluating health risks and informing public health responses. This study focused on characterizing the in vitro activation of the human CB1 receptor by the (R)- and (S)-epimers of HHC, HHC-P and HHC-O. Using recombinant CHO-K1 cells expressing the human CB1 receptor, the potency (EC50) and efficacy were determined. It was established that (9R)-HHC and (9R)-HHC-P activated the CB1 receptor as partial agonists and with five and two times lower potency compared to JWH-018, respectively, while the (S)-epimers exhibited even lower potency. The (R)-epimer of HHC-O activate the CB1 receptor to even lesser extent and the (S)-epimer showed no activation. For HHC and HHC-P, all epimers exhibited similar level of efficacy. This available evidence suggests cannabimimetic effects of the tested SSC with the exception for the acetates that likely function as pro-drugs in vivo.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
WILEY , 2025. Vol. 17, no 4, p. 487-493
Keywords [en]
cannabinoid receptor agonists; CB1 receptor; designer drugs; illicit drugs; semi-synthetic cannabinoids
National Category
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-206655DOI: 10.1002/dta.3750ISI: 001250308900001PubMedID: 38894658OAI: oai:DiVA.org:liu-206655DiVA, id: diva2:1891436
Note

Funding Agencies|European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction; European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA); Public Health Agency of Sweden

Available from: 2024-08-22 Created: 2024-08-22 Last updated: 2025-04-16

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