Cannabinoid Profiling of Cannabis sativa L. Samples from Different Regions of Nigeria Using Chromatographic Techniques

Background: Cannabis sativa L. remains the most widely cultivated and consumed illicit drug in Nigeria, yet no comprehensive scientific data exists on the cannabinoid profiles of Nigerian-grown cannabis. With evolving global policies on cannabis and increasing calls for policy reform in Nigeria, establishing baseline chemical data on locally cultivated cannabis is imperative for forensic, medicinal, and regulatory purposes. Methods: Six cannabis samples were obtained through the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) from five geopolitical zones of Nigeria: Kaduna (North West; two samples are farm-cultivated and one sample is trafficker-confiscated), Adamawa (North East), Edo (South South), Enugu (South East), and Ondo (South West). Samples were extracted using acetonitrile/water (1:1 v/v). Cannabinoid analysis was performed using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) with hexane:ethyl acetate:acetic acid (4:1:0.1) mobile phase and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection at 240nm. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed for definitive compound identification and structural confirmation. Results: TLC analysis revealed 5-12 cannabinoid compounds per sample, with a total of 15 distinct cannabinoids identified across all samples. Samples from Ondo (F) and the trafficker-confiscated sample from Kaduna (A) each yielded 12 spots, while the Edo sample (D) produced 7 spots. Three compounds were common to all samples, with Rf values of 0.38, 0.57-0.58, and 0.61-0.63 (matching cannabidiol standard). HPLC analysis detected 15-25 compounds per sample, totalling 33 compounds across all samples, with 8 compounds common to all. Quantitative HPLC using cannabidiol as reference standard showed cannabinoid content ranging from 17.41 mg/g (Ondo) to 30.54 mg/g (Edo). GC-MS confirmed the presence of specific cannabinoids: Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabinol (CBN) in Samples A (trafficker-confiscated) and D (Edo); CBN only in Sample E (Enugu); and multiple cannabinoids—cannabidiol (CBD), cannabichromene (CBC), THC, and CBN in Sample F (Ondo). Notably, GC-MS failed to detect cannabinoids in Samples B (Kaduna farm) and C (Adamawa), suggesting limitations of the technique for samples with low cannabinoid concentrations. Conclusion: This first comprehensive cannabinoid profiling of Nigerian C. sativa reveals significant chemical heterogeneity among samples from different geographic regions. Each sample exhibited unique chromatographic fingerprints, demonstrating that chromatographic techniques can effectively distinguish cannabis of different origins. The Edo sample (D) showed the highest cannabinoid content, while the Ondo sample (F) displayed the most diverse cannabinoid profile. These findings have direct forensic applications for source attribution and provide essential baseline data for future medicinal cannabis research and evidence-based policy formulation in Nigeria.