Drugs derived from cannabinoids. 7. Tachycardia and analgesia structure-activity relationships in delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and some synthetic analogues.

delta9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (delta9-THC) and eight other synthetic analogues were found to induce a dose-related increase in heart rate in the conscious Wistar rat. Ina comparison of tachycardia with analgesic activity (mouse hot-plate and antiwrithing tests) it was found that the water-soluble ester derivatives of 2a, 1-hydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2-octyl)-6,6,9-trimethyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6H-dibenzo(b,d)pyran (DMHP), had the least potency for tachycardia and the greatest potency for analgesia. These findings suggest that these compounds may have promise as therapeutic agents.