METHOD FOR OBTAINING PLANT EXTRACT

Claims

1. A method for obtaining a cannabis plant extract containing delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from a cannabis plant, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a cannabis plant that contains delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in sufficient quantity; (b) trimming and drying the flowering material separated from the remaining plant material; and (c) treating the floral material obtained in step (b) with a solvent and separating the cannabis plant extract containing delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from the floral material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises evaporating the solvent from the liquid extract of the cannabis plant to concentrate the extract.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises heating the concentrated extract of the cannabis plant to a temperature of from 50°C to 150°C to decarboxylate tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) to form delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cannabis plant contains delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in an amount equal to at least 1% on a dry weight basis (w / w).

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the step of drying the flowering material of the cannabis plant, defined in step (b) of claim 1, is carried out at a temperature in the range from 20°C to 35°C until the water content in the flowering material becomes less than 10%.

6. The method according to any one of paragraphs 1-5, wherein the processing step determined in step (c) of paragraph 1 comprises the following steps: (i) pouring the floral material with a solvent in a ratio of about 1:8.4 (w / w), thereby obtaining a mixture of the floral material and the solvent; (ii) maceration for approximately 24 hours at a temperature of between 15°C and 25°C and away from light; (iii) adding an additional amount of solvent, thereby obtaining a mixture of floral material and solvent in a ratio of about 1:16.8 (w / w); (iv) carrying out a percolation process in which the solvent is passed through the floral material at a flow rate of 3.55 to 5.45 ml / min per 1 kg of floral material for 63 to 97 hours at a temperature of 15°C to 25°C and with the exclusion of exposure to light; and (v) separating the cannabis plant extract from the cannabis flowering material.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the separation step defined in step (v) of claim 6 comprises filtering the cannabis plant extract to remove particles larger than 1.5 µm.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, butanol, alkanes (such as pentane, heptane and propane), ethyl ether, tert-butyl methyl ether, methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, ethyl acetate and CO2.

9. The method according to any one of paragraphs 1-8, wherein the method does not include a freezing step.

10. An extract of the cannabis plant containing delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The cannabis plant extract of claim 10, wherein the plant extract is in liquid form.

12. An extract of the cannabis plant according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the extract of the plant does not contain a solvent and is in a decarboxylated form.

13. The cannabis plant extract according to any one of claims 10-12 or obtained by the method according to any one of claims 2-9, wherein the cannabis plant extract contains delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in an amount equal to at least about 60% by weight of the extract.

14. The cannabis plant extract according to any one of claims 10-13 or obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein the cannabis plant extract further comprises one or more terpenes selected from the group consisting of the following: alpha-bisabolol, guaiol and beta-caryophyllene.

15. An extract of the cannabis plant according to any of paragraphs 10-14 or obtained by the method according to any of paragraphs 1-9 for use in medicine.

16. An extract of the cannabis plant according to any one of claims 10-14 or obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1-9 for use in the treatment and / or prevention of chronic cancer pain, somatic pain, visceral pain, central neuropathic pain, peripheral neuropathic pain or complex pain syndromes.

17. A method for treating and / or preventing chronic cancer pain, somatic pain, visceral pain, central neuropathic pain, peripheral neuropathic pain or complex pain syndromes, comprising administering an extract of the cannabis plant according to any one of claims 10-14 or obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1-9.