Ken Olejar, PhD
Colorado State University Pueblo
Large numbers of therapies originate from compounds originating in plants. Cannabinoids produced by industrial hemp are a group of compounds that are emerging for potential medical use. One problem that exists with all-natural compounds is their bioavailability. Studies have shown that when many of these compounds are given at therapeutic levels, the levels actually found in the bloodstream are below therapeutic levels. As such, mechanisms for increasing the availability of these compounds are required. Fluorination of a compound is a known method for increasing bioavailability. Using this technique this project aims to increase the bioavailability of cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN). The obtained analogues of these cannabinoids will be tested for efficacy against a Rheumatoid arthritis model and in breast cancer. These two disease models were chosen because of the purported benefits of the cannabinoids against inflammation and use in pain management. It is therefore expected that the derived analogues obtained through fluorination will provide therapeutic possibilities by increasing the bioavailability for treating Rheumatoid Arthritis and breast cancer.
