An improved method for quantification of cannabidiol, Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol, and their metabolites in human plasma and urine

Cannabidiol (CBD), the second most prevalent phytocannabinoid in Cannabis sativa, potentially offers numerous therapeutic benefits without psychoactive effects. Research into CBD's therapeutic applications must be supported by an understanding of the time course of CBD concentrations in the body and how these concentrations relate to CBD's safety and efficacy. This study aimed to develop a simplified protocol for quantifying CBD, Δ⁹-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its metabolites in human plasma and urine, eliminating complex and time-consuming sample preparation, especially for urine samples, while maintaining accuracy comparable to traditional methods. This protocol was used to assess the influence of an oral capsule of CBD (BSPG CBD BRAINS Bioceutical laboratories) on the pharmacokinetics of CBD and its metabolites in plasma and urine relative to an FDA approved CBD formulation (Epidiolex®). The method development focused on optimizing mass spectrometry (MS) conditions with an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) C18 column. Plasma and urine were collected at fourteen and eight time points, respectively, across 24 h and analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to quantify CBD and its metabolites. Additionally, (THC) and its metabolites were examined, with no detectable levels found in either plasma or urine. This newly developed analytical method successfully quantified CBD and its metabolites in both plasma and urine, contributing valuable data to the understanding of CBD pharmacokinetics in different oral products. This study's findings have important implications for optimizing CBD administration and assessing therapeutic outcomes.