Hemp Chemotype Definition by Cannabinoids Characterization Using LC-ESI(+)-LTQ-FTICR MS and Infrared Multiphoton Dissociation

The development and application of advanced analytical methods for a comprehensive analysis Cannabis sativa L. extracts plays pivotal role in order to have reliable evaluation their chemotype definition guarantee the efficacy safety pharmaceutical use. This paper deals with qualitative quantitative determination cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabinol (CBN), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabigerol (CBG) based on liquid chromategraphy-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method using electrospray ionization positive mode (ESI+), coupled hybrid quadrupole linear ion trap (LTQ) Fourier transform cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FTICR-MS). For first time, structural information phytocannabinoids is available upon precursor ions’ isolation within FTICR trapping cell subsequent fragmentation induced by infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD). Such accurate measurement product ions, alongside collision-induced (CID) LTQ, was advantageous propose pattern each compound. Then, proposed LC-ESI(+)-LTQ-FTICR MS successfully applied hemp three registered Italian accessions C. plants (Carmagnola C.S., Carmagnola, Eletta Campana), thus resulting Campana accession being best one cannabis manufacturing.