ABSTRACT
Cannabinoids are defi ned, chemically, as aryl-substituted meroterpenes. They are
derived principally from the plant Cannabis sativa. This plant contains approximately more than 400 chemical constituents. Of these constituents, more than 60
are chemically classed as cannabinoids. The most potent of these cannabinoids
that produces psychoactive effects is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). Other
plant cannabinoids include cannabinol and cannabidiol, which, along with other
cannabinoids, produce complex pharmacological actions and interactions when
herbal cannabis is smoked (Ashton, 2001).
