Abstract
9α, 10α-Epoxyhexahydrocannabinol (9α, 10α-EHHC) was found to be formed from Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) by liver microsomes of mice pretreated with phenobarbital. Further, pharmacological effects of 9α, 10α-EHHC in mice were compared with those of Δ9-THC using catalepsy, hypothermia, pentobarbital-induced sleep prolongation and anticonvulsant activity against pentylenetetrazol as indices. 9α, 10α-EHHC was approximately equipotent with Δ9-THC in the pharmacological indices except for catalepsy. The cataleptogenic effect of the epoxide was about 4 times as potent as the parent compound. From these results, it is suggested that 9α, 10α-EHHC can contribute to the pharmacological effects of Δ9-THC as an active metabolite.
