The science of cannabis and cannabinoids encompasses a wide variety of scientific disciplines and can appear daunting to newcomers to the field. The encroachment of folklore and ‘cannabis culture’ into scientific discussions can cloud the situation further. This Primer Review is designed to give a succinct overview of the chemistry of cannabis and cannabinoids. It is hoped that it will provide a useful resource for chemistry undergraduates, postgraduates and their instructors, and experienced chemists who require a comprehensive and up to date summary of the field. The Review begins with a brief overview of the history and botany of cannabis, then goes on to detail important aspects of the chemistry of phytocannabinoids, endocannabinoids and synthetic cannabinomimetics. Other natural constituents of the cannabis plant are then described including terpenes and terpenoids, polyphenolics, alkaloids, waxes and triglycerides, and important toxic contaminants. A discussion of key aspects of the pharmacology associated with cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system then follows, with a focus on the cannabinoid receptors, CB₁ and CB₂. The medicinal chemistry of cannabis and cannabinoids is covered, highlighting the range of diseases targeted with cannabis and phytocannabinoids, as well as key aspects of phytocannabinoid metabolism, distribution, and delivery. The modulation of endocannabinoid levels through the inhibition of key endocannabinoid-degrading enzymes fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is then discussed. The Review concludes with an assessment of the much touted ‘entourage effect’. References to primary literature and more specialised reviews are provided throughout.

大麻和大麻素的科学涵盖了广泛的科学学科，对本领域的新​​手来说可能令人望而生畏。将民间文学艺术和“大麻文化”纳入科学讨论可以进一步使局势蒙上阴影。本入门读物旨在简要概述大麻和大麻素的化学性质。希望它将为化学本科生，研究生及其指导者以及需要全面而最新的领域摘要的有经验的化学家提供有用的资源。该评论首先简要概述了大麻的历史和植物学，然后详细介绍了植物大麻素，内源性大麻素和合成大麻素化学的重要方面。然后描述了大麻植物的其他天然成分，包括萜烯和萜类化合物，多酚，生物碱，蜡和甘油三酸酯，以及重要的有毒污染物。然后讨论与大麻素和内源性大麻素系统有关的药理学的关键方面，重点是大麻素受体CB₁和CB ₂。涵盖了大麻和大麻素的药物化学，重点介绍了以大麻和植物大麻素为目标的疾病范围，以及植物大麻素代谢，分布和传递的关键方面。然后讨论了通过抑制关键的内源性大麻素降解酶脂肪酸酰胺水解酶（FAAH）和单酰基甘油脂酶（MAGL）来调节内源性大麻素水平。审查的结论是对备受吹捧的“娱乐效应”进行了评估。全文中都提供了对主要文献的参考和更专业的评论。