Researchers at Stellenbosch University have found a new group of chemicals called flavoalkaloids in cannabis leaves. This adds a surprising new piece to what we know about the plant.
Plants already have many useful chemicals called phenolics. Some of these, like flavonoids, help protect cells and reduce inflammation. Finding flavoalkaloids means cannabis might hold even more health‑helping substances.
Many New Compounds Identified
The team studied three cannabis strains grown in South Africa. They detected 79 different phenolic chemicals. Twenty‑five of them had never been reported in cannabis before, and sixteen of those were likely flavoalkaloids, which are very rare in nature.
These rare chemicals were mostly found in the leaves of just one strain, showing how much the chemistry can differ between plant types.
Why These Chemicals Are Hard to Spot
Plants contain very complex mixtures of phenolics, and flavoalkaloids are especially uncommon. Cannabis itself is known to have more than 750 different molecules, so seeing such a wide variety of phenolics in only three strains was unexpected.
High‑Tech Tools Uncovered Hidden Chemistry
Using a special method that combines two‑dimensional liquid chromatography with high‑resolution mass spectrometry, the researchers could separate and identify tiny amounts of each compound. This technique had previously been tested on rooibos tea, grapes, and wine before being applied to cannabis.
Professor André de Villiers, who led the study, said the advanced chromatography allowed the rare flavoalkaloids to be separated from the much more common flavonoids, making their discovery possible.
Potential Benefits From Overlooked Plant Parts
Most cannabis research focuses on cannabinoids, the chemicals that affect the mind. This new work shows that other parts of the plant, like leaves that are often thrown away, could contain valuable medicines.
The scientists believe the unique phenolic profile of cannabis leaves may be useful for future biomedical research and drug development.