HYDROLYSIS OF 11-PALMITOYLOXY-DELTA-9-TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL TO 11-HYDROXY-DELTA-9-TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL BY CHOLESTEROL ESTERASE AND A LIPASE

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 24  (2) , 393-396
Abstract
In the rat, 11-palmitoyloxy-.delta.9-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-palm-.delta.9-THC) was identified as a long-retained metabolite of .delta.9-tetrahydrocannabinol (.delta.9-THC), the active component of marihuana. It is not known if 11-palm-.delta.9-THC is psychoactive; it could be hydrolyzed to active 11-hydroxy-.delta.9-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-.delta.9-THC). In vitro studies showed that cholesterol esterase and a lipase can hydrolyze 11-palm-.delta.9-THC to 11-OH-.delta.9-THC.