Introduction:
Both delta-8 and delta-9 cannabinoids have a chain of carbon atoms, but delta-8 has the double bond on the eighth carbon, whereas delta-9 has it on the ninth carbon. This double bond is thought to produce the intoxicating effects that make the user feel high.
Deta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol or delta-9-THC (“THC”) is an active constituent in extracts of the plant Cannabis sativa (marihuana, Hashish).
With the legalization of recreational cannabis, the industry has devoped strains and products which can reach 15 % THC or more, and concentrated products like oils, edibles and glass-like products called shatter can have a THC concentraiton as high as 90%. Unfortuantely, the more potent a drug and its high is, the more addictive it can be. Today, a about 1 in 11 marijuana users will become addicted. (“Weed is tronger than ever, but it might not affect our brains that much: 6 surprising facts about cannabis” CC Documentaries.)
Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as delta-8 THC, is a psychoactive substance found in the Cannabis sativa plant, of which marijuana and hemp are two varieties. Delta-8 THC is one of over 100 cannabinoids produced naturally by the cannabis plant but is not found in significant amounts in the cannabis plant. As a result, concentrated amounts of delta-8 THC are typically manufactured from hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD).
These products have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA for safe use in any context. Some concerns include variability in product formulations and product labeling, other cannabinoid and terpene content, and variable delta-8 THC concentrations. Additionally, some of these products may be labeled simply as “hemp products,” which may mislead consumers who associate “hemp” with “non-psychoactive.” Furthermore, the FDA is concerned by the proliferation of products that contain delta-8 THC and are marketed for therapeutic or medical uses, although they have not been approved by the FDA. Selling unapproved products with unsubstantiated therapeutic claims is not only a violation of federal law, but also can put consumers at risk, as these products have not been proven to be safe or effective. See FDA Delta-8 warning
THC Synthetics and Formulations:
Synthetic delta9-etrahydrocannabinol (Dronabinol ): Dronabinol is approved by the FDA for the control of anusea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and for appetite stimulation of AIDS patients suffering from wasting syndrome.
Dronabinol (brand names such as Marinol® and Syndros®) is a prescription medication and a man-made form of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the main psychoactive component of the Cannabis sativa plant (marijuana). It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for specific medical uses. (WO 2019/036243, Molecular Infusions, LLC)
–MARINOL® is a formulation of dronabinol in sesame oil presented as a soft gelatin capsule for oral adminsitration. After oral adminsitration, dronabinol has an onset of action of about 0.5-1 hours and peak effect at 2-4 hours. Duration of action for psychoactive effects is 4-6 hours, but the appetite stimulant effect of dronabinol may continue for 2 hours or longer after admiistration.
THC and T cell development
There is evidence that THC has immunomodulatory effects like the inhibition of mitogen-induced T lymphocyte proliferation., Nahas et al., 1974, the inhibition of y-interferon production, Blanchard et al., 1986), and the suppression of induction of cytolytic function of cytotoxic T cells. (Kelin et al., 1991).
For example, THC injection into mice suppressed the development of cell-mediated, Th1 immunity to infection with the intracellular, bacterial pathogen Legionella Pneumophila (Lp) (Newton et al., 1994 “Secondary immunity to Legionella pneumophila and Th1 activity are suppressed by del-9-tetrahydrocannabinol injection” Infect. Immun., 62, 40115-4020)
THC suppressed Th1 immunity by inhibiting the mobilization of IFNy and IL-12 as well as the expression of IL-12 receptors and increasing the expression of the Th2-promoting cytokine IL-4. For example, within hours following THC treatment and antigen challenge, serum IL-12 and IFNy mobilization was decreased relative to drug vehicle controls and IL-4 was increased by drug treatment in spleen preparation. (Klein et al., 2000 “delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol treatment suppresses immunity and early IFN-y, IL-12 and IL-12 receptor B2 responses to Legionella pneumophila infection. J. Immunol., 164, 6461-6466 )
THC and HIV
There is evidence that cannabinoid agonists may enhance as shown by increased syncytia formation in MT-2 cells (which express both CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors) when cultured in the presence of cannabinoid agonists and cell free HIV-1MN (Noe et al., “Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists Enhance Syncytia Formation in MT-2 Cells Infected with Cell Free HIV-1MN”) MT-2 cells are naive CD4+ T cells.