Delta-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol

Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8-THC, Δ8-THC) is a psychoactive cannabinoid found in the Cannabis plant. It is an isomer of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC, Δ9-THC), the compound commonly known as THC. ∆8-THC is moderately less potent than Δ9-THC. This means that, while its properties are similar to that of Δ9-THC, it would take more ∆8-THC to achieve a comparable effect. ∆8-THC and Δ9-THC both contain a double bond in their molecular chain, but the location is different. In ∆8-THC, the double bond is in the eighth carbon chain, while in Δ9-THC, the double bond is in the ninth. ∆8-THC functions similarly to Δ9-THC, but with reportedly less activity. This may be because it has lower efficacy at the target receptors. ∆8-THC may cause increased heart rate, reddening of the eyes, dizziness, anxiety, dryness of the mouth and throat, paresthesia, tinnitus, increased body awareness, weakness, muscle tension or tremor, reduced motor coordination, fatigue, sleepiness, changes in visual perception, altered , enhancement of colors or contrasts, time distortion, changes in auditory perception, euphoria, tranquility, relaxation, racing thoughts, dreamy introspective states, or difficulty in thinking, speaking, reading, or remembering. A 1973 study testing the effects of ∆8-THC in dogs and monkeys reported that a single oral dose of 9,000 milligrams per kilogram of body mass (mg/kg) was nonlethal in all dogs and monkeys studied. The same study reported that the median lethal dose of ∆8-THC in rats was comparable to that of ∆9-THC. Both isomers of THC have been found to cause a transient increase in blood pressure in rats, though the effects of cannabinoids on the cardiovascular system are complex. Animal studies indicate that ∆8-THC exerts many of its central effects by binding to cannabinoid receptors found in various regions of the brain, including the cerebral cortex, thalamus, basal ganglia, hippocampus, and cerebellum.