Activity of novel aminocannabinoids in baboons

The axial and equatorial isomers of 7-(methylamino)hexahydrocannabinol (1 and 2) and 7-(dimethylamino)hexahydrocannabinol (3 and 4) were prepared by reductive amination of the corresponding cannabinoid aldehydes. The amines caused some tranquility in baboons but did not evoke the typical cannabimimetic syndrome caused by psychoactive cannabinoids. However the axial amines (1 and 3) but not the equatorial ones (2 and 4) caused bouts of scratching and yawning. The latter is a rare pharmacological effect hitherto not observed with other cannabinoids.