The Potency Determination of 21-Cannabinoids Using Hemp Analyzer for Potency™

Significance of the Topic

Precise quantification of cannabinoids in hemp and cannabis products is essential for medical, regulatory and commercial applications. Accurate potency determination supports safe dosing in clinical and consumer settings, ensures compliance with legal THC limits and enables reproducible product quality in research and industry.

Objectives and Study Overview

The study demonstrates a rapid HPLC-UV method using the Shimadzu Cannabis Analyzer for Potency™ to simultaneously measure 21 cannabinoids in under 15 minutes. It evaluates method performance through calibration, quality control and real sample analysis of dry hemp flower and commercial tincture oil.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• System: Shimadzu Cannabis Analyzer for Potency™ (integrated HPLC with UV detector)
• Column: NexLeaf CBX for Potency, 150×4.6 mm, 2.7 μm with guard cartridge
• Detector: UV-Vis at 220 nm
• Mobile phases: 0.085% phosphoric acid in water (A) and in acetonitrile (B)
• Gradient: 70% B held 3 min; 70–85% B over 7 min; 85–95% B in 0.01 min; hold 1.99 min; return to 70% B
• Flow rate: 1.6 mL/min; column oven: 35 °C; injection: 5 μL; run time: 15 min (including wash step)
• Calibration: six-point curve (0.5–85 mg/L) and three QC levels (2.5, 30, 70 mg/L), R² ≥ 0.999

Main Results and Discussion

• All 21 cannabinoids were baseline-resolved within 15 min, showing excellent peak shape and retention time repeatability.
• Calibration and QC injections demonstrated high linearity (R² ≥ 0.999) and reproducibility of area measurements.
• Dry hemp sample contained 76.2 wt% CBD and 2.53 wt% CBGA, with no detectable Δ9-THC, matching supplier specifications.
• Commercial tincture oil analysis yielded 8.87 mg/mL CBD (266.3 mg per 30 mL), closely aligning with the 300 mg label claim; minor cannabinoids were quantified accurately.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The method delivers rapid, high-throughput potency profiling for quality control labs, supporting batch release and regulatory testing. Its comprehensive cannabinoid panel aids development of broad-spectrum formulations and clinical research on entourage effects.

Future Trends and Potential Uses

• Extension to other matrices (edibles, topicals) and adulterant screening.
• Integration with mass spectrometry for enhanced sensitivity and structural confirmation.
• Automation and remote monitoring for large-scale manufacturing environments.
• Adaptation to measure emerging minor cannabinoids and degradation products.

Conclusion

The presented HPLC-UV approach on the Shimadzu Cannabis Analyzer for Potency™ achieves fast, reliable quantification of 21 cannabinoids. Its validated performance and ease of operation make it a valuable tool for research, regulatory compliance and product development in the cannabis industry.

Reference

Niloufar Pezeshk and Craig Young, “The Potency Determination of 21-Cannabinoids Using Hemp Analyzer for Potency™,” Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc., March 2021.