RESEARCH - Evaluation of a vaporizing device (Volcano) for the pulmonary administration of THC

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J Pharm Sci. 2006 Jun;95(6):1308-17.

Evaluation of a vaporizing device (Volcano) for the pulmonary administration

of tetrahydrocannabinol.

Division of Pharmacognosy, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden,

The Netherlands. ahazekamp@...

What is currently needed for optimal use of medicinal cannabinoids is a

feasible, nonsmoked, rapid-onset delivery system. Cannabis " vaporization " is

a technique aimed at suppressing irritating respiratory toxins by heating

cannabis to a temperature where active cannabinoid vapors form, but below

the point of combustion where smoke and associated toxins are produced. The

goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of the Volcano vaporizer

in terms of reproducible delivery of the bioactive cannabinoid

tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) by using pure cannabinoid preparations, so that

it could be used in a clinical trial. By changing parameters such as

temperature setting, type of evaporation sample and balloon volume, the

vaporization of THC was systematically improved to its maximum, while

preventing the formation of breakdown products of THC, such as cannabinol or

delta-8-THC. Inter- and intra-device variability was tested as well as

relationship between loaded- and delivered dose. It was found that an

average of about 54% of loaded THC was delivered into the balloon of the

vaporizer, in a reproducible manner. When the vaporizer was used for

clinical administration of inhaled THC, it was found that on average 35% of

inhaled THC was directly exhaled again. Our results show that with the

Volcano a safe and effective cannabinoid delivery system seems to be

available to patients. The final pulmonal uptake of THC is comparable to the

smoking of cannabis, while avoiding the respiratory disadvantages of

smoking. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association

PMID: 16637053

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Retrieve & dopt=Abstra\

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