Therapeutic cannabis extracts

Abstract

The present invention may be one of several formulations containing cannabinoids and non-cannabinoid compounds. Cannabis plants are subjected to extraction, and the resulting extract may be supplemented with additional ingredients to achieve a desired chemical profile. Dose titration may be used to find an appropriate dose of Cannabis extract to be ingested in treating medical conditions.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The Cannabis plant (Cannabis sativa L.) (“Cannabis”) naturally produces a complex mixture of compounds (often called “natural products” or “secondary metabolites”), including cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenoids which are present in much higher concentrations in the female inflorescences than in other parts of the plant. The precise function of these compounds within the plant is largely unknown; it is generally hypothesized that many of the compounds are used defensively to prevent predation by animals and attack by fungi and bacteria. After Cannabis is harvested, these compounds can be isolated by means of an extraction process. Cannabinoids are natural products that are largely exclusive to the Cannabis plant. While over one hundred cannabinoids are known, only the most prevalent ones are generally analyzed when characterizing Cannabis for medicinal or recreational purposes.[0002]Some cannabinoids (“primary cannabinoids”) are present in the com...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]The formulations may also be prepared by selecting Cannabis cultivars known to have cannabinoid profiles close to the target combinations and supplementing the extracts as needed to reach the target formulations. The Cannabis extracts may be produced by subjecting harvested Cannabis from known cultivars such as afghani, skunk, white widow, blue dream, and AC / DC (also known as ACDC) strains to an extraction process. It will be appreciated that using certain known cultivars as starting materials may facilitate producing extracts with certain preferred levels of active ingredients. These named cultivars are merely examples, and the cultivar of choice will depend on the target concentrations of active compounds desired in the final formulation. The extraction process may use an alcohol, such as ethanol, or a non-polar compound, such as butane, as the extraction solvent. The Cannabis extract may also be supplemented by adding active compounds from independent sources. Alternatively, purified extracts of individual cannabinoids, terpenoids and other active plant compounds may be combined to create the formulations to obtain improved therapeutic outcomes.

[0012]For example, cold liquid butane or cold ethanol may be used to extract ground Cannabis material. The plant material is retained by an about 220 μm screen or similar filter, and the extraction solvent is allowed to flow through. Prior to removal of the extraction solvent, the extract mixture is filtered to remove small particles of plant material. The inventor has found that filtration using filters having about a 45 μm pore size removes the vast majority of plant solids (i.e., insoluble bits of plant tissue). Next, the extract is optionally filtered through a filter having a 5 μm pore size which passes the dissolved extract compounds and retains a “remainder” fraction. Details of this process are found in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16 / 569,535, titled “NOVEL ACTIVE FRACTION FROM THERAPEUTIC CANNABIS PLANT EXTRACTS, filed 12 Sep. 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The majority of the solvent extract which passes through the filter(s) is used to produce a “mixed cannabinoid” fraction. The “remainder” fraction recovered from the 5 μm filter consists of particles or micelles of waxes and / or other lipids and would normally be discarded. The inventor has made the surprising discovery that adding a significant percentage of the “remainder” to the final formulation greatly enhances the effectiveness of the formulation—showing a magnified “entourage-like” effect. The reason for this effect is under current investigation. It is possible that the presence of certain waxes and / or other lipids may improve the absorption of the formulation by the individual, thereby enhancing the physiological actions of the cannabinoid formulation.

Problems solved by technology

As such portions of the extracts do not contain cannabinoids, they are not believed to possess therapeutic or commercial value.