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Storage of cannabinoids by Arctia caja and Zonocerus elegans fed on chemically distinct strains of Cannabis sativa

Nature volume 266, pages 650–651 (1977)Cite this article

Abstract

THE larvae of the warningly coloured tiger moth Arctia caja (L.) (Lepidoptera) and the grasshopper Zonocerus elegans (Thunberg) (Acridoidea) are polyphagous feeders with a predilection for poisonous food plants. These species can sequester and store various secondary plant substances such as cardiac glycosides and pyrrolizidine alkaloids1,2, which presumably function as predator deterrents. We report here that cannabinoids ingested with the leaves of Cannabis sativa L. are also stored by both insects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ashton, Peterborough

    MIRIAM ROTHSCHILD

  2. School of Pharmacy, Brunswick Square, London, WC1, UK

    M. G. ROWAN & J. W. FAIRBAIRN

Authors
  1. MIRIAM ROTHSCHILD
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  2. M. G. ROWAN
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  3. J. W. FAIRBAIRN
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ROTHSCHILD, M., ROWAN, M. & FAIRBAIRN, J. Storage of cannabinoids by Arctia caja and Zonocerus elegans fed on chemically distinct strains of Cannabis sativa. Nature 266, 650–651 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/266650a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/266650a0

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