Scientists at Stellenbosch University have made an exciting discovery: a rare group of antioxidant-rich compounds, called flavoalkaloids, have been found in Cannabis leaves for the first time.
These compounds, part of the phenolic family, are known for their health benefits—such as reducing inflammation, fighting cancer, and acting as antioxidants.
In their study, researchers identified 79 phenolic compounds in three commercial Cannabis strains grown in South Africa. Among them, 25 had never been reported in Cannabis before, and 16 were identified as flavoalkaloids. These rare compounds were mostly found in the leaves of just one strain.
Dr. Magriet Muller, an analytical chemist at Stellenbosch, led the study. She explained that it’s difficult to analyze phenolics due to their complex structures and low concentrations in plants. Flavoalkaloids are especially rare, and their presence in Cannabis was unexpected. ‘We were very excited to find them,’ said Dr. Muller.
Using advanced techniques—two-dimensional liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry—the team could separate and identify these unique compounds. The same tools had previously been used to analyze rooibos tea, grapes, and wine.
Professor André de Villiers, her supervisor, was impressed by the quality of the results. He emphasized that Cannabis contains over 750 chemical compounds, and there’s still much to learn beyond just the well-known cannabinoids that affect mood.
Their findings show that Cannabis leaves, often seen as waste, may have valuable medicinal properties due to their unique phenolic makeup. This discovery could open the door to new areas of research in medicine and health.
The study is published in Journal of Chromatography A.
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