DE102021130796A1 - Method and system for producing a cannabis plant material having a high cannabinoid content - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for producing a cannabis plant material (14) with which the cannabinoid content in the decarboxylated cannabis plant material (14) is significantly increased compared to a standard decarboxylation. This process results in excellent aroma from the decarboxylated cannabis plant material (14). The method can be implemented very simply and inexpensively, and the necessary tools can be readily given to a buyer upon purchase, with the packaging effort being able to be significantly reduced. The vessels (12) used within the framework of the system (10) according to the invention are preferably designed to be reusable and can in particular be part of a corresponding deposit system.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing a cannabis plant material having a high cannabinoid content according to the preamble of claim 1 and a system for producing a cannabis plant material having a high cannabinoid content according to the preamble of claim 8.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid from the female hemp (cannabis). This substance is said to have anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and anti-nausea effects. Further pharmacological effects such as an antipsychotic effect are being researched. Cannabidiol is mainly present in the plant as an acid (CBD carboxylic acid).

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, more precisely (-)-Δ9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol) is a psychoactive substance that belongs to the cannabinoids. This substance is found in plants of the hemp genus (cannabis) and is said to be responsible for the majority of the intoxicating effect. In the plant, THC is largely present in the natural form of THC acids.

A cannabinoid that comes from a plant material is also known as a phytocannabinoid.

In principle, the human body can draw almost no benefit from these substances (CBD carboxylic acid and THC acids). Therefore, activation of the substances is required before they can be used by humans. The substances activated in this way should then be attached to a suitable molecule (preferably fat), so that they can be absorbed even more effectively by the human body. Then the human body can utilize these substances very effectively via its endocannabinoid system.

To obtain CBD from CBD carboxylic acid or THC from THC acid (activation of CBD carboxylic acid and THC acids), these are subjected to decarboxylation, which is achieved by heating the plant material (marijuana - the dried, resinous flowers and the small leaves of the female hemp plant). Decarboxylation is a chemical reaction in which a carbon dioxide molecule is split off from a molecule.

When smoking marijuana, this conversion occurs directly in the smoking itself, where the fire creates the necessary heat. The acid component is split off and CBD or THC is produced.

However, this heat is usually not sufficiently available when marijuana is to be used for the preparation of food, for example when cooking or in the production of butter or oil, so that no or only a very small effect would then be achieved.

In this case, you usually get around by spreading the marijuana on baking paper and placing it in an oven and heating it at temperatures of approx. 110°C to 150°C for 30 - 45 minutes. This turns the marijuana golden brown and crumbly and ready for further processing. However, the cannabinoid content of the decarboxylated cannabis plant material produced in this way is low.

It is the object of the present invention to improve the method in such a way that the cannabinoid content in the decarboxylated cannabis plant material is increased. In particular, the method should be inexpensive and easy to carry out.

This object is achieved with the method according to claim 1 according to the invention and the system according to claim 8 according to the invention. Advantageous developments are specified in the dependent claims and in the following description together with the figures.

On the part of the inventors, it was recognized that this object can be achieved in a surprising manner in a particularly simple manner if the decarboxylation takes place in a water bath, because the heating then takes place very gently, which increases efficiency. In addition, the terpene structure of the cannabis plant material is preserved. Thereby not lost against the terpenes, which even have properties effective for humans and also determine the aroma of the decarboxylated cannabis plant material.

The method according to the invention for producing a cannabis plant material which has a high cannabinoid content is characterized in that the cannabis plant material is heated in a water bath.

In an advantageous further development it is provided that the cannabis plant material is arranged in a fluid-tight vessel during the heating. Then the cannabinoids resulting from the decarboxylation are not released into the environment, so that the cannabinoid content is further increased. In addition, released essential oils are not lost, so the aroma is enhanced.

An advantageous further development provides that for 1 g of cannabis plant material the inner volume of the vessel is in the range of 50 ml to 200 ml, preferably in the range of 100 ml to 160 ml, in particular in the range of 120 ml to 140 ml. A volume of 130 ml is most preferably used. This can further enhance the aroma of the decarboxylated cannabis plant material.

In an advantageous development, it is provided that the vessel is opened to reduce the overpressure, with the opening preferably taking place in the range of 3 minutes to 20 minutes, in particular in the range of 7 minutes to 13 minutes after the last closure of the vessel. This allows the cleaved molecules to be released, further enhancing the aroma by preventing the decarboxylated molecules from binding back to the cannabis plant material. In addition, safety-relevant states are avoided.

In an advantageous further development it is provided that the vessel has a pressure relief valve. This results in an automatic pressure reduction, so that the user of the method does not have to pay attention to this himself. In addition, the pressure ranges relevant to the process are automatically maintained. The pressure in the vessel should preferably not be more than 3 bar, preferably not more than 2.5 bar, in particular not more than 2 bar. An improvement in quality is then achieved because the decarboxylated molecules are prevented from rebinding to the cannabis plant material.

In an advantageous development, it is provided that the cannabis plant material is comminuted before heating, preferably to a particle size of less than or equal to 10 mm, preferably less than or equal to 5 mm, in particular in the range of 2 mm to 4 mm. This makes the decarboxylation particularly effective.

In an advantageous development, it is provided that the heating is carried out at a temperature in the range of less than or equal to 105°C, preferably less than or equal to 100°C, in particular in the range of 90°C to 100°C. As a result, the decarboxylation is particularly gentle and effective. This heating also releases essential oils.

In an advantageous development, it is provided that the heating is carried out for a time in the range from 15 minutes to 240 minutes, preferably 30 minutes to 90 minutes, in particular in the range from 50 minutes to 70 minutes, preferably for 60 minutes. As a result, the decarboxylation is particularly gentle and effective.

Independent protection is claimed for the system according to the invention for the production of a cannabis plant material which has a high cannabinoid content, which is characterized in that the system comprises, in addition to the cannabis plant material, a vessel which is designed to be closable in a fluid-tight manner, the vessel being heat-resistant to at least 110 °C is formed. As a result, the vessel itself can be used for decarboxylation, so that a purchaser does not need any additional tools apart from a pot to provide the water bath. In addition, the system can serve as a packaging unit for sale.

In an advantageous further development it is provided that the vessel has a pressure relief valve. This results in an automatic pressure reduction, so that the user of the method does not have to pay attention to this himself. In addition, the pressure ranges relevant to the process are automatically maintained. The pressure in the vessel should preferably not be more than 3 bar, preferably not more than 2.5 bar, in particular not more than 2 bar. An improvement in quality is then achieved because the decarboxylated molecules are prevented from rebinding to the cannabis plant material.

In an advantageous development, it is provided that the vessel has such an internal volume, depending on the mass of cannabis plant material, that for a mass of 1 g of cannabis plant material, the internal volume of the vessel is in the range of 50 ml to 200 ml, preferably in the range of Range 100 ml to 160 ml, in particular in the range 120 ml to 140 ml. A volume of 130 ml is most preferably used. This can further enhance the aroma of the decarboxylated cannabis plant material.

In an advantageous development, it is provided that the vessel is designed to be reusable, preferably made of glass. Then the method according to the invention and the system according to the invention are particularly environmentally friendly. In an advantageous development, it is provided that the container is part of a deposit system. This also supports environmental friendliness.

• 1 das erfindungsgemäße System während der Durchführung des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens in einer Schnittansicht.

The features and further advantages of the present invention will become clear in the following based on the description of a preferred exemplary embodiment in connection with the single figure. It shows purely schematically:

• 1 the system according to the invention during the implementation of the method according to the invention in a sectional view.

In 1 10 shows a schematic sectional view of the inventive system 10 for producing a cannabis plant material having a high cannabinoid content during the inventive method for producing a cannabis plant material having a high cannabinoid content.

It can be seen that the system 10 includes a vessel 12 and a predetermined mass of cannabis plant material 14 placed within the vessel 12 .

The vessel 12 has a body 16 and a lid 18, the body 16 being made of heat resistant glass and the lid 18 being formed of metal in which a pressure relief valve 20 is located. The lid 18 also has a rubber seal, as a result of which the vessel is sealed in a fluid-tight manner when the body 16 is closed with the lid 18 .

Alternatively, the lid could also be made of glass, as in the case of a preserving jar, with the jar being designed as a so-called wire clamp jar for easier closure of the body with the lid, which in addition to a wire clamp for detachably pressing the lid onto the body also has a rubber ring.

The design of the vessel 12 makes it particularly environmentally friendly because no packaging waste is produced and the vessel can be reused. It would be particularly advantageous in this context if the container 12 were part of a corresponding deposit system in which the buyer returned the used containers 12 to the seller. The seller could then reduce the number of vessels 12 in circulation and at the same time check and thereby ensure their safe functioning.

Alternatively, vessels constructed from a heat-resistant material other than glass, such as metal or plastic, could also be used.

Furthermore, as an alternative, the cover could also be designed without the pressure relief valve. The overpressure would then have to be reduced by manually opening the vessel by the buyer himself. To do this, the buyer could briefly open the container every 10 minutes, for example.

This system 10 can also serve as a packaging unit (not shown) at the point of sale, optionally with instructions for carrying out the decarboxylation. Then there is very little packaging waste. However, for reasons of hygiene or for reasons of holding the cannabis plant material 14 together, the cannabis plant material 14 could also be stored in a smaller bag, for example made of plastic, which then has to be removed before carrying out the method.

To carry out the method according to the invention, the cannabis plant material 14, which may be taken from a bag, is crushed on a suitable surface, for example a wooden board with a knife, a herb cradle or the like, so that the cannabis plant material 14 is then divided into particles from about 2 mm to 4 mm in size.

Alternatively, the cannabis plant material 14 could be sold to the purchaser pre-comminuted, with purchaser preference for comminution since the cannabis plant material 14 then stays fresher longer.

The crushed cannabis plant material 14 is placed in the body 16 of the jar 12 and the lid 18 is secured onto the body 16 such that the jar 12 is fluid-tightly sealed.

This vessel 12 filled in this way is placed in a water bath 22 which is arranged in a cooking pot 24 . Thereafter, the saucepan 24 is heated on a stove 26 such that the water bath 20 boils but does not overboil, i.e., after boiling of the water bath 22 is achieved, heating should be continued with less power.

The heating should be carried out for approx. 60 minutes, whereby after a certain time the overpressure that is building up is automatically released by the overpressure valve.

This overpressure arises during the heating process as a result of the decarboxylation of the cannabis plant material 14, which results in the splitting off of carbon dioxide molecules and the formation of THC and CBD from THC acids and CBD carboxylic acid.

During over-pressurization essentially only the split-off carbon dioxide molecules will escape, leaving a highly aromatic cannabis plant material 14 with a high cannabinoid content.

After the specified time has elapsed, the heating is terminated and the vessel 12 is removed from the water bath 22 . The vessel 12 is then opened after it has cooled and the decarboxylated cannabis plant material 14 is removed, it being possible for it to be further processed after further cooling, if necessary.

For example, one could use the decarboxylated cannabis plant material 14 directly as an ingredient in cooking. Or you can use the decarboxylated cannabis plant material 14 to make oils or butters to eat directly or to make other dishes with. Depending on the food production process, the decarboxylated cannabis plant material 14 used could also be strained out, if necessary.

With this preparation, the active substances can be bound to fats, for example, which means that they can be absorbed more quickly by the human body.

The method of decarboxylation according to the invention for two different vessels 12a, 12b with different volumes is to be compared below.

The first vessel 12a had a diameter of 59 mm, a height of 69 mm and a volume of 130 ml, while the second vessel 12b had a diameter of 70 mm, a height of 79 mm and a volume of 225 ml.

A quantity of 1 g of cannabis plant material 14a, 14b was decarboxylated in each of the two glasses 12a, 12b for a period of 60 minutes, with the pressure relief valve 20 ensuring a maximum pressure of 2 bar in each case.

The untreated cannabis plant material 14a, 14b contained 4% by volume of CBD carboxylic acid.

After completing the decarboxylation in the vessels 12a, 12b and examining the decarboxylated cannabis plant material 14a, 14b, it was found that the CBD content in the decarboxylated cannabis plant material 14a was 4% by volume, while the CBD content in the decarboxylated cannabis -plant material 14b was only 3.5% by volume. In addition, the aroma of the decarboxylated cannabis plant material 14a was better than that of the decarboxylated cannabis plant material 14b.

This shows that adhering to the vessel volume provided according to the invention has a major influence on the quality and quantity in terms of aroma and content of cannabinoids.

Overall, the method according to the invention makes it possible to generate a significantly higher number of active cannabinoids compared to a standard decarboxylation. Thus, a significantly higher concentration of phytocannabinoids can be detected, since significantly fewer phytocannabinoids etc. are lost or destroyed in comparison to standard decarboxylation. Accordingly, the body can also receive significantly more phytocannabinoids through its endocannabinoid system. At the same time, relatively little cannabis is needed to achieve an equivalent concentration of cannbinoids.

In addition, the terpene structure of the cannabis plant material 14 is preserved by the method according to the invention, as a result of which the equally important, effective terpenes are not lost and their aroma is therefore also preserved.

Due to the very gentle, heat-constant process of decarboxylation, a large number of cannabinoids are activated and at the same time all terpenes are preserved. This can cause the entourage effect, which is considered important for health, in which a mixture of plant substances has a higher biological activity and offers optimal synergy effects. In addition, the food gets a special aroma due to the retained terpene structure.

It has become clear from the above description that the present invention provides a method for producing a cannabis plant material 14 with which the cannabinoid content in the decarboxylated cannabis plant material 14 is significantly increased compared to a standard decarboxylation. This method leads to an excellent aroma of the decarboxylated cannabis plant material 14. The method can be implemented very simply and inexpensively and the necessary tools can be readily given to a buyer at the time of purchase, with the packaging effort being able to be significantly reduced. The vessels 12 used within the framework of the system 10 according to the invention are in particular designed to be reusable and can preferably be part of a corresponding deposit system.

All of the features presented in the general description of the invention, the description of the exemplary embodiments, the following claims and in the figures can be essential to the invention both individually and in any combination with one another. These features or combinations of features can each constitute an independent invention, which we expressly reserve the right to claim. Individual features from the description of an exemplary embodiment do not necessarily have to be combined with one or more or all other features specified in the description of this exemplary embodiment; in this regard, each sub-combination is also expressly disclosed. In addition, physical features of a device can also be reformulated as process features Find use and method features can be reformulated as physical features of a device use. Such a reformulation is thus automatically disclosed.

reference list

10

system according to the invention

12

vessel

14

Cannabis plant material

16

Body

18

Lid

20

pressure relief valve

22

water bath

24

cooking pot

26

stove

Claims (10)

Method for producing a cannabis plant material (14) which has a high cannabinoid content, characterized in that the cannabis plant material (14) is heated in a water bath (22). procedure after claim 1 , characterized in that the cannabis plant material (14) is placed in a fluid-tight vessel (12) during heating. procedure after claim 2 , characterized in that for 1 g of cannabis plant material (14) an internal volume of the vessel (12) in the range of 50 ml to 200 ml, preferably in the range of 100 ml to 160 ml, in particular in the range of 120 ml to 140 ml is provided . Procedure according to one of claims 2 or 3 , characterized in that the vessel (12) is opened to reduce excess pressure, the opening preferably taking place in the range 3 min to 20 min, in particular in the range 7 min to 13 min after the last closure of the vessel. Procedure according to one of claims 2 until 4 , characterized in that the vessel (12) has a pressure relief valve (20). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cannabis plant material (14) is comminuted before heating, preferably to a particle size of less than or equal to 10 mm, preferably less than or equal to 5 mm, in particular in the range of 2 mm to 4 mm. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heating is carried out at a temperature in the range of less than or equal to 105 °C, preferably less than or equal to 100 °C, in particular in the range of 90 °C to 100 °C, and/or that the heating is carried out for a time in the range 15 min to 240 min, preferably 30 min to 90 min, in particular in the range 50 min to 70 min, preferably for 60 min. System (10) for producing a cannabis plant material (14) which has a high cannabinoid content, characterized in that the system (10) comprises, in addition to the cannabis plant material (14), a vessel (12) which is designed to be closable in a fluid-tight manner, wherein the vessel (12) is designed to be heat-resistant up to at least 110°C. system (10) according to claim 8 , characterized in that the vessel (12) has a pressure relief valve (20) and/or that the vessel (12) has such an internal volume as a function of the mass of cannabis plant material (14) that for a mass of 1 g of cannabis - plant material (14) has an internal volume of the vessel (12) in the range of 50 ml to 200 ml, preferably in the range of 100 ml to 160 ml, in particular in the range of 120 ml to 140 ml. system (10) according to claim 8 or 9 , characterized in that the vessel is designed to be reusable, preferably comprises glass, and/or that the vessel is part of a deposit system.

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