C21H20O2

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  tetrahydrocannabinol \tet`ra*hy`dro*can*nab"i*nol\
     (t[e^]t`r[.a]*h[imac]`dr[-o]*k[a^]n*n[a^]b"[i^]n[add]l), n.
     (Chem. & Med.)
     A chemical substance ({C21H20O2}) which is produced by the
     hemp plant (Cannabis sativa), and is the physiologically
     active agent of dried preparations of that plant, called


     variously marijuana, hashish, ganja, hemp, etc.; also called
     {THC}. It causes the euphoric effect for which the
     preparations are smoked or chewed. It is used in medicine in
     a purified form as an antiemetic (an antinausea agent),
     especially in conjunction with chemotherapy of cancer. It
     occurs primarily as the [Delta]1-3,4-trans isomer, also
     called {[Delta]9-THC}, with small amounts of the
     [Delta]6-3,4-trans isomer detectable at about 1%. It is a
     controlled substance, classified as a hallucinogen, and its
     possession or distribution is illegal in almost all states of
     the United States. --MI11
     [PJC]