Cannabinoids and Secondary Plant Metabolites

The Cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant are considered plant secondary metabolites. 

 In order to have a full understanding of the cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant, it is necessary to understand what exactly plant secondary metabolites are.  Having an understanding of plant secondary metabolites will increase one's appreciation of the medicinal and essential benefits of the cannabinoids unique to the cannabis plant.  It may also help us to understand the great threat this plant posed to the pharmaceutical industry in its infancy.

The distinction between basic and secondary plant metabolism was introduced by A. Kossel in 1891. The term basic metabolism comprises all pathways necessary for the survival of plant cells, while secondary plant products occur usually only in special, differentiated plant cells and are not necessary for the survival of the cells themselves but may be useful for the plant as a whole. Examples of plant secondary metabolites include cannabinoids and terpenes both of which are found in the cannabis plant. The beautiful scent of a rose is due to its secondary metabolites.

Plant secondary metabolites are very complex and they are not fully understood in the scientific community due to their complexity.  Although these secondary compounds are common, not all plants can produce all products, if any,  since certain specific secondary metabolites are usually only found in a single species while others are found in a group of related species. The one thing that is certain respecting plant secondary metabolites is the fact that the compounds are often only generated during a specific developmental period of the plant species. Many secondary compounds possess signalling functions that enable them to influence the activities of other cells, control their metabolic activities and also co-ordinate the development of the plant as a whole.  Other substances such as the color of the flower serve to communicate with pollinators such as bees. 

This blog begins the discussion on secondary plant metabolites.  In order to fully appreciate all that cannabinoids offer, one must understand what plant secondary metabolites are.  The next blog will continue this quest.