Results and Publications
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Expected results
- Development of at least 3 new extraction methods following the green chemistry concept.
- Fractionation of at least 6 new mixtures enriched from hemp waste and by-products.
- Development of at least 1 new method for synthesising less abundant cannabinoids or their derivatives.
- Development of at least 1 new analytical method based on GC-MS and 1 new analytical method based on UHPLC-HRMS.
- Purification and chemical characterisation of at least 3 new compounds from the mixtures under investigation.
- In vitro biological data on the extracts and isolated compounds.
- Identify at least 1 extract and/or 1 pure compound with promising applications in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical or cosmetic fields.
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Mid-Term Meeting Video
Video of the mid-term stakeholder meeting. The Research Units of the Universities of Ferrara, Modena, Pavia and Eastern Piedmont present their results so far.
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Mid-term Report
The NOrCa - Not Ordinary Cannabis project, financed under the PNRR - Mission 4, Component 2 - Investment 1.1, aims to valorise the by-products and waste of Cannabis sativa L. according to an innovative and sustainable approach. This interim report documents the activities carried out in the first months of work, focusing on developing green extraction methodologies, advanced chemical analyses and bioactive evaluations on residual matrices from the hemp supply chain.
The research activities were divided into several operational units:
- UNIFE: started up ultrasound-assisted and supercritical CO₂ extraction, focusing on roots and spent biomass, and launched antimicrobial activity tests.
- UNIMORE: oversaw the optimisation of extractions through Design of Experiment (DoE), GC-MS analyses, and carried out antioxidant and antiproliferative tests.
- UNIPV: worked on the photostabilimetric characterisation and synthesis of rare cannabinoids, investigating their stability and degradation under different conditions.
- UNIUPO: developed strategies for fractionating and isolating lipophilic and secondary compounds from roots, hemp and oil residues, leading to the synthesis of terpenyl esters of cannabinoids.
Each UR has contributed with complementary approaches to the integral valorisation of the biomass, paving the way for new applications of hemp derivatives in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic fields.