Scientists identify cannabis compound in Brazilian shrub

Scientists in Brazil have identified cannabidiol (CBD), a key compound found in cannabis, in Trema micrantha blume, a widespread native shrub often regarded as a weed. The finding may offer a new, legally permissible and potentially less expensive source of the substance.

Rodrigo Moura Neto, a molecular biologist at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, told Agence France-Presse that his team detected CBD in the fruits and flowers of Trema micrantha, a plant common across much of South America. Unlike cannabis, the shrub contains no detectable levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of marijuana.

“This is a plant that grows all over Brazil,” Neto said. “It would be a simpler and cheaper source of cannabidiol.”

CBD has been increasingly adopted in medical contexts, including for the treatment of epilepsy, anxiety and chronic pain, though its clinical efficacy is still being researched. The identification of the compound in Trema micrantha could help bypass the regulatory constraints that currently apply to cannabis-derived CBD in jurisdictions such as Brazil, where marijuana remains illegal.

The researchers have not yet published their results but plan to expand their study. Neto said the next phase will focus on scaling up extraction methods and assessing the compound’s therapeutic effects in patients.

A related species was previously found to contain CBD in Thailand, suggesting the compound may occur more broadly across the Trema genus.

Neto’s project has received a 500,000-real (US$104,000) grant from the Brazilian government and is expected to continue over the next five years.

The global CBD market was valued at nearly US$5 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach over US$47 billion by 2028, according to Vantage Market Research. Growth is largely being driven by consumer demand in the health and wellness sectors.