High Man
Activist
Joined: 04 Mar 2008
Posts: 236
Location: Space
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 Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:00 pm Post subject: What do dogs REALLY smell when searching for pot? |
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It seems like this question has come up before, and knowing THC is an odorless compound, it makes one wonder just what are dogs hitting on?
From http://www.hempfood.com/Iha/iha01201.html
| Quote: | Cannabis seems a virtual factory for the production of secondary metabolic compounds. A variety of alkanes have been identified (Adams, Jr. and Jones 1973, De Zeeuw et al. 1973b, Mobarak et al. 1974a & 1974b), as well as nitrogenous compounds (ElSohly and Turner 1976, Hanus 1975b), flavonoids (Gellert et al. 1974, Paris et al. 1975b, Paris and Paris 1973) and other miscellaneous compounds (Hanus 1976a & 1976b). Terpenes appear in abundance (Hanus 1975a, Hendricks et al. 1975) and contribute to the characteristic odor of the plant (Hood et al. 1973) and some of its crude preparations, such as hashish. The compounds which comprise the active drug ingredients are apparently unique to this genus and are termed cannabinoids. Cannabinoids were originally thought to exist as the phenolic compounds, but later research (Fetterman et al. 1971a, Masoud and Doorenbos 1973, Small and Beckstead 1973, Turner et al. 1973b) has indicated their existence predominantly in the form of carboxylic acids which decarboxylate readily with time (Masoud and Doorenbos 1973, Turner et al. 1973b), upon heating (De Zeeuw et al. 1972a, Kimura and Okamoto 1970) or in alkaline conditions (Grlic and Andrec 1961, Masoud and Doorenboos 1973). There are over 60 of these type compounds present in the plant (Turner et al. 1980).
Much has been published concerning the influence of heredity on cannabinoid production (e.g., Fetterman et al. 1971b, Small and Beckstead 1973), but ecological factors have long been thought to have an important influence by stressing the Cannabis plant (Bouquet 1950). The resultant increased biosynthesis of the cannabinoid and terpene containing resin, in most cases, seems likely of advantage to the organism in adapting it to a variety of survival-threatening situations. This work reviews these biotic and abiotic challenges and speculates on the utility of Cannabis resin to the plant.
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And also http://www.internationalhempassociation.org/jiha/jiha4208.html
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The Cannabis smell is a peculiarity of this plant. Its aroma does not originate from the terpenophenolic cannabinoids, but from the more volatile monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes (Lehmann 1995). Hashish detection dogs, for example, do not smell Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) but are able to smell the sesquiterpene caryophyllene oxide (Stahl and Kunde 1973). According to Turner et al. (1980) 58 monoterpenes and 38 sesquiterpenes have been identified in hemp. Using steam distillation, it is possible to concentrate most of these components to an essential oil.
Many utilizations for hemp essential oil are known. They impart the typical Cannabis aroma to such products as cosmetics, soaps, shampoos, creams, oils, perfumes and also to foodstuffs. Additional possible uses are for aroma therapy and as a means for plant protection. According to McPartland (1997), two essential hemp oil components (limonene and alpha-pinene) have a repellent effect against many insects. The bacteriostatic activity of hemp essential oil has been reported by Fournier et al. (1978). Although first trials of hemp essential oil used against potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans) were not promising (Krebs 1996), cannabinoid antifungal activity cannot be discounted.
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