The cannabis plant is gaining in popularity and legitimacy as a medical treatment for a wide range of illnesses. The laboratory of Professor Alexander (Sasha) Vainstein at the Hebrew University of Jerusalerm has engineered a new type of plant.
The researchers were able to increase the level of the main psychoactive component in cannabis by close to 18% and the level of the mother of all cannabinoids by close to 25%. Vainstein and his team were able to increase the ratio of terpenes by 30%.
The goal of the study was to find a way to increase or decrease the production of active substances in the cannabis plant. The researchers manipulated a plant-based virus to express genes that influence the production of active substances in the cannabis plant, so that it could not harm the plant.
Vainstein explained that the tools were constructed using synthetic biology tools. This is the first time that researchers have succeeded in increasing the levels of substances in cannabis plants.
More than 200 active ingredients have already been identified and there is a lot of research activity aimed at identifying additional substances and medical treatments that can be derived from the cannabis plant. There was no way to alter the ratio of cannabis substances between strains. Vainstein said that the study results will be valuable to both the industry and the medical researcher.
Citation: Engineers enhance cannabis strain with 20% more THC for medical applications, increased crop yields (2022, May 31) retrieved 31 May 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-05-cannabis-strain-thc-medical-applications.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
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