{"id":23401,"date":"2018-11-23T19:21:58","date_gmt":"2018-11-24T03:21:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.farmapdx.com\/?p=23401"},"modified":"2018-11-23T19:21:58","modified_gmt":"2018-11-24T03:21:58","slug":"anthocyanins-natures-purps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.farmapdx.com\/anthocyanins-natures-purps\/","title":{"rendered":"Anthocyanins: Nature’s Purps"},"content":{"rendered":"
Oh, those Purps– the most stunning and elusive of cannabis flowers. Sure they\u2019re a treat to behold, but what if I told you that purple varietals might actually have some unique properties that green flowers don\u2019t? Could the molecules in question, then, play a role in the <\/span>entourage effect<\/span><\/a>?<\/span><\/p>\n Interest in cannabis\u2019 polypharmaceutical potential grows as more and more literature emerges on cannabinoids and <\/span>terpenes<\/span><\/a>. As scientists begin to dig into cannabis\u2019 mind-bogglingly complex phytochemistry, they\u2019re realizing that there may be a whole lot more to the picture than just these two. Anthocyanin– a type of pigment molecule in the flavonoid family– might one day prove to be another important player in cannabis\u2019 ever-broadening therapeutic potential.<\/span><\/p>\n We often hear we need to \u201ceat the rainbow\u201d as nutrition lore has long touted the health benefits of including foods with red, blue, and violet pigments into our diets. Anthocyanins are the molecules that give these foods their color, and, according to <\/span>in vitro<\/span><\/i> (test tube) research, their apparent <\/span>antioxidant<\/span><\/a> benefits. The spectrum is vast: berries, red cabbage, pomegranate, eggplants, purple carrots, purple wheat, beets, et cetera– a veritable cornucopia of fruits, grains and vegetables. Many of them end up marketed as miracle-working \u201csuperfoods\u201d that can reverse aging and prevent disease. Remember the acai bowl craze? Is that still a thing?<\/span><\/p>\n Anthocyanins have also garnered the attention of nutrition researchers all over the world for potential<\/span> anti-inflammatory<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> anti-cancer,<\/span><\/a> brain<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> eye<\/span><\/a>, and<\/span> cardiovascular benefits<\/span><\/a>. As a natural pigment, anthocyanin is of particular interest as a \u201cfunctional\u201d additive in foods, as both an alternative<\/span> coloring agent and health supplement<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n Anthocyanin is hard to study. It’s a notoriously tricky (read: unstable) molecule: it\u2019s<\/span> highly sensitive<\/span><\/a> to light, temperature (degradation accelerates at 75<\/span>\u00b0<\/span> F and warmer), and pH (acidic solutions bring out more red, while more alkaline solutions more blue, and too much alkalinity destroys the pigment altogether). Scientists<\/span> don\u2019t agree on how to best extract it from plant tissues<\/span><\/a>, as the right combination of temperature, pressure and acidity complicates any conventional method of plant tissue extraction– from Co2 to solvents to water osmosis. What\u2019s more, researchers are still figuring out the mechanics behind<\/span> anthocyanin bioavailability<\/span><\/a>, that is, how it these compounds are even absorbed by our bodies from food in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n Well to start, most of the current research is still <\/span>in vitro<\/span><\/i>, and predicated upon ingestion– not combustion. So, just knowing that anthocyanins are present in some cannabis varietals doesn\u2019t mean that lighting up a joint of Purple Urkle will help your heart or brain. But, their presence certainly does open up another vast area of inquiry for forthcoming cannabis research in the lab.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For those growing Purps at home, make sure you get your hands on the right genetics. \u201cPurps\u201d are usually associated with the famously stony descendants of Afghani landraces native to cold, sunny climates, like Purple Hindu Kush, Granddaddy Purple, and Obama Kush. Find genotypes predisposed to producing anthocyanin and grow them under conditions that mimic their native environment: cooler temperatures (below 50<\/span>\u00b0 <\/span>F at night time) and bright light during the day. Soil composition is another factor to pay attention to– as we mentioned above, playing with more acidic soils may bring out reddish colors while more alkaline soil may encourage blue hues. <\/span><\/p>\n Fruit Loops by Eugreen\/ Focus North<\/span><\/p>\n Tropicana Cookies by Eugreen\/ Focus North<\/span><\/p>\n Sugar Ape by Ridgeline Reserve<\/span><\/p>\n Silver Tip by Bull Run Craft Cannabis<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Lemonade Meringue by Ten Four Farms<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nAnthocyanins and Food Science<\/span><\/h2>\n
What does that mean for cannabis?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Currently at Farma:<\/span><\/h2>\n