The biosynthesis of the cannabinoids - Journal of Cannabis Research
Tahir, M. Nazir, Department Of Chemistry, Biochemistry, University Of Windsor, Windsor, Shahbazi, Rondeau-Gagné, Trant, John F.
In C. sativa, cannabinoids are biosynthesized as phytoprotectants: in fresh biomass, 95% of the THC, CBD, and CBC exist as their acidic parents: tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), and cannabichromenic acid (CBCA) (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2005). In 1969, Mechoulam reported on a second THC acid isomer, the 4-carboxy-THC (Fig. 2 Biosynthesis of cannabinoids. Kearsey et al. (2019) also confirmed that, in the absence of OAC, a nonenzymatic C2 → C7 decarboxylative aldol condensation of the tetraketide intermediate occurs forming olivetol instead of OLA (Fig. Kearsey et al. also investigated the crystal structure of TKS in the presence of CoA (Fig.