THCP is structurally similar to Δ9-THC, the main active component of cannabis, but with thepentyl side chain extended toheptyl. Since it has a longer side chain, itscannabinoid effects are "far higher than Δ9-THC itself." Tetrahydrocannabiphorol has a reported binding affinity of 1.2 nM at CB1, approximately 33 times that of Δ9-THC (40 nM at CB1), however this does not mean it's 33x stronger per milligram.[4]
The Δ3/Δ6a(10a) isomer Δ3-THCP was synthesised in 1941, and was found to have around the same potency asΔ3-THC, unlike the hexyl homologueparahexyl which was significantly stronger.[6]
The Δ8 isomer is also known as asynthetic cannabinoid under the code nameJWH-091.[7][8] It's unconfirmed whether or not Δ8-THCP is found naturally in cannabis plants, but likely is due to Δ8-THC itself being a degraded form of Δ9-THC.[9] JWH-091 has approximately double the binding affinity at the CB1 receptor (22 nM ± 3.9 nM) in comparison to Δ9-THC (40.7 nM ± 1.7 nM) or Δ8-THC (44 nM ± 12 nM),[8] but appears significantly lower in vitro than the binding activity of Δ9-THCP (Ki = 1.2 nM)[4]
The Δ9 isomer of THCP occurs naturally incannabis, but in small amounts. A 2021 study reported the content of Δ9-THCP ranging from 0.0023% to 0.0136% (w/w) (approximately 0.02–0.13 mg/g) without correlation to THC percentage inΔ9-THC-dominant strains of cannabis; that study failed to detect THCP inCBD-dominant strains.[2][10][11]
^Harvey DJ (March 1985). "Identification of hepatic metabolites of n-heptyl-delta-1-tetrahydrocannabinol in the mouse".Xenobiotica; the Fate of Foreign Compounds in Biological Systems.15 (3):187–197.doi:10.3109/00498258509045349.PMID2992174.
^abBueno J, Greenbaum EA (February 2021). "(-)-trans-Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabiphorol Content ofCannabis sativa Inflorescence from Various Chemotypes".Journal of Natural Products.84 (2):531–536.doi:10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c01034.PMID33565878.S2CID231866062.
^Linciano P, Russo F, Citti C, Tolomeo F, Paris R, Fulvio F, et al. (December 2021). "The novel heptyl phorolic acid cannabinoids content in different Cannabis sativa L. accessions".Talanta.235 122704.doi:10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122704.hdl:11380/1250339.PMID34517579.
^Adams R, Loewe S, Jelinek C, Wolff H (July 1941). "Tetrahydrocannabinol Homologs with Marihuana Activity. IX".Journal of the American Chemical Society.63 (7):1971–1973.doi:10.1021/ja01852a052.
^Bueno J, Greenbaum EA (2021). "(-)- trans-Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabiphorol Content of Cannabis sativa Inflorescence from Various Chemotypes".Journal of Natural Products.84 (2):531–536.doi:10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c01034.PMID33565878.S2CID231866062.
