A label that highlights CBD may describe only one of the cannabinoids present in a hemp extract. Wakshlag and colleagues studied three oral preparations in six female beagles. The preparations contained nearly equal amounts of CBD and cannabidiolic acid, or CBDA, along with smaller amounts of THC and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, or THCA.
CBDA and THCA are acidic precursors. The team included both in its measurements alongside the neutral cannabinoids and selected metabolites. This matters because a report that names CBD alone conveys no measurement of CBDA, even when both were present in the administered product. The same distinction applies to THC and THCA.
The study connects a defined set of formulations to serial measurements under a canine dosing protocol. For an exposure review, a useful first step is to compare the analytes in the product report with those measured in the biological sample. A laboratory panel that targets different compounds answers a different question.