Pharmacological activity of the basic fraction of marihuana whole smoke condensate alone and in combination with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in mice.
J M Johnson, L Lemberger, M Novotny, R B Forney, W S Dalton, M P Maskarinec
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology March 15, 1984 DOI: 10.1016/0041-008x(84)90120-0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Animal pharmacology study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Male Swiss-Webster mice |
| Intervention | delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) |
| Dose | 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg (general screen); 10 to 29 mg/kg (second study); 1.2, 2.4, and 4.8 mg/kg BF with 1.0 mg/kg THC (temperature study) |
| Duration | Body temperature measured periodically for 2 hr after administration |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key points | The basic fraction of marijuana whole smoke condensate produced slight, statistically significant but not consistently dose-dependent behavioral and autonomic effects in mice, including impaired visual placing, increased tail pinch response, reduced tail elevation, piloerection, and at higher doses reduced locomotion, rearing, and urination. It did not alter body temperature or THC-induced hypothermia. The authors conclude the fraction has some pharmacological activity but little evidence of highly active compounds. |
Abstract
This basic fraction (BF) of marihuana whole smoke condensate was subjected to pharmacological testing in males, Swiss-Webster mice. In a general pharmacological activity screen looking at behavioral, neurologic, and autonomic parameters, BF, at iv doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg, caused impairment of visual placing, increase in tail pinch response, decrease in tail elevation, and induction of piloerection. These effects, although statistically significant, were slight and not consistently dose dependent. In a second study with doses ranging from 10 to 29 mg/kg, BF caused a decrease in spatial locomotion, rearing behavior, and urination incidence. In a third study, body temperatures of mice were measured periodically for 2 hr following administration of BF (1.2, 2.4, and 4.8 mg/kg) alone or in combination with 1.0 mg/kg delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). BF did not alter body temperature, nor did it affect THC-induced hypothermia. These results, although suggesting that the basic fraction of marihuana whole smoke condensate has pharmacological activity in mice, offers little evidence for the presence of highly active compounds.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on cannabis, most cited first.