Researchers at the University of New Mexico (UNM) have collaborated with software developers from Releaf App to create a new cannabis flower categorization system. This breakthrough addresses a significant challenge in medical cannabis science: how to identify and clinically investigate cannabis plants and their unique chemical profiles, regardless of strain names or other arbitrary factors prevalent in the current industry.
What Happened
Utilizing data from the Releaf App on cannabis phytochemical profiles and patient outcomes, the UNM scientists developed an indexing system capable of distinguishing individual plant strains based on their primary cannabinoid and terpene contents, scientifically known as "cannabis chemovars."
In their recent study, "Systematic Combinations of Major Cannabinoid and Terpene Contents in Cannabis Flower and Patient Outcomes: A Proof-of-Concept Assessment of the Vigil Index of Cannabis Chemovars" (VICC), published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, UNM researchers Jacob Vigil and Sarah Stith used Releaf App data to design a comprehensive cannabis product indexing system. The study demonstrated that unique chemovars differ in their therapeutic effects, a long-held belief among cannabis users but largely untested by the scientific community.
Why It Matters
Cannabis research has …