Everyone’s heard of THC and CBD. But many other active compounds in cannabis interact to influence its effects. A new study confirms that those compounds are seldom tested for, and strain name is not indicative of potency or chemical makeup. Machine learning techniques could help fill the knowledge gap.

Anyone who has used, sold, studied or even read much about marijuana likely recognizes these acronyms as active ingredients in the plant.

But beyond intoxicating tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and therapeutic cannabidiol (CBD), there exists a diverse array of chemicals believed to quietly interact — a phenomenon known as the ‘entourage effect’ — influencing how each unique cannabis strain makes people feel.

To date, the cannabis industry has collected remarkably little data about those lesser-known compounds, new University of Colorado Boulder research shows. But that same study, published this month in the journal PLOS ONE, suggests that a surprising scientific field could play an integral role in filling the knowledge gap.

«This paper provides a very early example of how applying advanced data science techniques could give us new insight into how this plant works,» said senior-author Brian Keegan, an assistant professor in the Department of Information Science.

Ask a dispensary bud tender for advice and it’s not uncommon for them to make generalizations, recommending, for instance, Cannabis sativa varieties for an energetic high, or Cannabis indica for a relaxing effect.

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Materials provided by University of Colorado at Boulder. Original written by Lisa Marshall. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.