Aqueous Leaching Method to Produce Microcrystalline Powder

Abstract

Non-water soluble cannabinoid acids are isolated from trichomes and flower of cannabis genus by leaching with alkaline water. The leaching with alkaline water converts the cannabinoid acids to water soluble salts. The resulting solution of cannabinoid salts may be used as a source of acidic cannabinoids for pharmaceutical applications or the cannabinoid acid salts may be converted back to their acid form and precipitated into a high purity microcrystalline powder by acidification of the aqueous solution. Compounds that are not water soluble and do not form salts in alkaline water such as many pesticides, fungicides and off flavors will not be concentrated.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of leaching acidic cannabinoids from lipophilic extracts comprising: preparing alkaline water; dispersing the lipophilic extract into the alkaline water. 
     
     
         2 . The method of claim  21  wherein the lipophilic extract is BHO. 
     
     
         3 . The method of claim  22  wherein the BHO is winterized. 
     
     
         4 . The method of claim  22  wherein the BHO is cryoground before dispersion. 
     
     
         5 . The method of claim  21  wherein the lipophilic extract is produced by supercritical CO 2  extraction. 
     
     
         6 . The method of claim  21  wherein the lipophilic extract is dissolved in a water miscible solvent before dispersing into alkaline water. 
     
     
         7 . The method of claim  26  wherein the solvent is ethanol. 
     
     
         8 . The method of claim  21  wherein an emulsifier is added to the alkaline water. 
     
     
         9 . The method of claim  28  wherein sodium chloride is added as the emulsifier.