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What is Alpha-cat?
Alpha-cat is a Cannabinoid Analysis Tool which combines the simple analytical technique of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) with specific thin-layers and developing fluid. Thanks to this new protocol the main active ingredients of the cannabis plant parts can be visualised due to a highly specific colouring reaction which represents the cannabinoids present in the sample of cannabis or cannabis product. Alpha-cat‘s method enables the detection and identification of six (6) of the main cannabinoids present in cannabis:
- Cannabidiol (CBD)
- Cannabinol (CBN)
- Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
- Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)
- Cannabigerol (CBG)
- Cannabichromene (CBC)
A minimal amount of material (0.1 gram) is needed per sample to provide a unique and effective way of analysing the cannabinoid profile in various mixtures such as plant parts of cannabis, trichome resins, oils, tinctures and edibles products (ice-creams, cookies, teas…). Alpha-cat helps you to assess the effect of any specific strain with:
- A THC and CBD reference chart for an indication of strength and potency
- Chemotype/cannabinoid profile which categorizes the strain
- Chemotype-effect chart indicating the pharmacological effect to be expected
- A symptom-cure guide helping to determine which strain best helps to alleviate specific symptoms.
The Alpha-cat Test Kits
MINI kit Alpha-cat 2 plates Number of tests*: – THC & CBD analysis: 8 – Chemotype prints: 2
REGULAR kit Alpha-cat 10 plates Number of tests*: – THC & CBD analysis: 40 – Chemotype prints: 10
MOBILE LAB Alpha-cat 100 plates Number of tests*: – CBD, CBN, THC, THCV, CBC, CBG analysis: 400 – Chemotype prints: 100
*Each TLC plate allows for testing 4 lanes. A full analysis uses all 4 lanes for 1 strain. To get a chemotype print of your strain, 1 line is sufficient: 4 strains can, therefore, be analysed on 1 TLC plate.
The following should be supplied by the user
- Samples of cannabis or cannabis products (e.g. cookies, ice, cake, etc.)
- A well-ventilated working area (a fume hood connected to a filtering system is recommended)
- Digital weighing scale
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alpha-cat Testing Protocol
The Alpha-cat system solves the issues involved with simultaneously separating cannabinoids in a simple, cost-effective way, providing a chemical profile for each sample. The Alpha-cat method separates some of the neutral and acidic cannabinoids which are rendered distinct from each other with bright colored spots. The chemotype profile shows the number of cannabinoids and their relative concentrations. The higher the concentration the bigger and more intensely coloured the spot is. Alpha-cat gives the opportunity to determine the cannabinoids present in each material sample and reveals the levels of each individual cannabinoid present in terms of its concentration. The Alpha-cat method enables anyone, regardless of scientific background, to define the active cannabinoid profile in a wide range of medicinal materials (flowers, resins, concentrates, cosmetics, tinctures, edibles and most other cannabinoid containing products).
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How to analyse the results
After colouring the TLC plate by dipping it in a dye solution colored spots will appear immediately. The number of different spots depends entirely on the plant used (genetics) and the environmental parameters during cultivation. The bigger the spot is, the higher is the concentration. The combination of different spots is called the chemotype of this particular plant (strain). Samples derived from it, such as the dried flowers, edibles, oils and hashish will differ somewhat in composition and won’t show the same cannabinoid profile (or print). Each colored spot on the plate represents a cannabinoid.
The combination of all cannabinoids present in a particular strain will be responsible for the pharmaceutical effects as well as the side-effects commonly reported and will range from an ultimate high feeling/experience (only THC present) to a heavy, “stoney”, “narcotic” sleep provoking strain with low THC when compared to its levels of CBD and CBG or with overall high levels of CBD and CBG. Small differences in cannabinoid levels of THCV, CBG and CBC between strains results in tremendous differences in perceived effect.
Sativa strains
THC effects are dominant over indica effects (activating, energizing)
Indica strains
CBG, THCV & CBD effects predominate producing a feeling of relaxation (stoney, sleepy)
Safety Recommendation
- Alpha-cat® kits are fully compliant with the guidelines of the World Health Organisation concerning safety and quality of medical plant materials (WHO/PHARM/92.559).
- Our methods meet the guidelines and recommendations of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Codex Alimentarius.
- All of our kits comply fully with Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) guidelines.
Alpha-cat’s kits contains bottles of chlorinated hydrocarbons, labelled as hazardous and the following precautions should be observed at all times:
To handle with care
To protect your skin, always wear gloves
To avoid contamination of the TLC-plates
Not to be inhaled
Before conducting experiments, read the manual carefully! Contact us if you have any questions.
Does it come with software for print outs.
Hello Melissa. Sorry for the late reply. Yes you can directly print your results through our app: app.alpha-cat.org. 🙂 I stay available if you have any other questions. Best regards.
Where can I buy an Alpha-cat kid?
Hello Rene. Thank you for your interest regarding our test kits. Here is the link to find our test kit: https://www.alpha-cat.org/product-category/cannabinoids-test-kits/. We remain available if you have any further questions. Kind regards.
Me interesa para Argentina
Hello Horacio. Our apologies for our late reply. Thank you for your interest regarding our test kits. We can ship it all around the world Argentina included. 🙂 Here is the link to buy our test kits: https://www.alpha-cat.org/product-category/cannabinoids-test-kits/. We stay available if you have any further questions. Kind regards.
Hi, Can you please tell if the testing kits test over 20% please? As in the picture it only show up to 20%. Any reply would be greatful. Thanks in advance Gary Sanders
Hello Gary. Sorry for our late reply. Sure you can mostly test everything that contains cannabinoids with alpha-CAT test kit, even concentrate & oil. You just need to make simple calculation to apply a slightly different procedure as describe in this link:
https://www.alpha-cat.org/sample-assessment-testing-cannabis-concentrate/
Ex: For oil & concentrate, we recommend to use 40 mg of sample with 1 uL of our test fluid before applying on the plates and multiply the result given by our ruler by 5. Be sure to have a proper scale that can be able to measure with a high precision to weight a minimum of 1mg (0.001g). All our kits come with all components and a manual.You can detect the main 6 cannabinoids and you will have calibration charts needed to quantify CBD and THC.To begin, you can purchase a MINI kit, this will perform up to 8 tests.
https://www.alpha-cat.org/shop/test-kits/mini-kit/
Or you can purchase a REGULAR kit, with which you can carry out up to 40 tests.
https://www.alpha-cat.org/shop/test-kits/regular-kit/
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards.
Dear personal , we will like to know if is posibile to mesured if thc is below 0,2 … we nead to chec our field if thc goes over 0,2 %
many thanx for reply
Bine
Hello Bine. Sorry for the late reply. You can test your plants below 1% using 4 uL capillary processes and following this process of concentration diluted sample (low concentration of cannabinoids). This is a sample of low concentration, where you expect a result between 0.1% and 5% of THC for example, it is necessary to take 200 mg of sample with 8 μL of sample solution with the adapted capillary tube: Multiplication factor = (100 mg x 2μL) / 200 (mg) X 8 (μL) = 0.125 After the appearance of the quantification scale, if your graph is displayed at 5% THC, you will have to multiply this result by 0.125, which will give you a total of 0.6% of THC. To do so, you need to equip yourself, with a Mini or Regular test kit and purchase capillaries of 4 uL, see link below.
https://www.alpha-cat.org/sample-assessment-testing-cannabis-concentrate/
https://www.alpha-cat.org/product/pack-of-100-units-of-4-%c2%b5l-capillary-tubes/
https://www.alpha-cat.org/shop/cannabinoids-test-kits/mini-kit/
I hope that these informations will be useful for you. If you have other question, don’t hesitate to ask.
Kind regards.
How can Buy one?
Hello Zekije. Thank you for your interest for our test kit. You can find all the different kind of test kit we have in our shop on this link : https://www.alpha-cat.org/product-category/cannabinoids-test-kits/ . I Stay available if you need any further information. Best regards.
I need to test my cbd tinctures for potency before i send them to 3rd party lab . What do i need from you and how much is it ?
Hello Keith. Thank you for your interest toward our test kit. You can find all the different kind of test kit we have in our shop. Here is the link : https://www.alpha-cat.org/product-category/cannabinoids-test-kits/ . I Stay available if you need any further information. Kind regards.
Can your test kits be used to test alcohol based tinctures?
Dear Mike
Yes ! you can test your cannabinoids alcohol-based tincture. For further questions, don’t hesitate to write us directly to our email info(a)alpha-cat.org
How do I test infused oil? Do I use the same quantity (100mg)? I assume it needs to be a solid when the test begins? Are there more detailed directions other than the pamphlet that came in the mini kit?
Dear David
Thanks for your comment, you can test infused oil by weighting 100mg, you can do that by calibrating your scale at 0 with an empty test tube then add the infused oil until you reach 100mg. In addition to our manual inside the test kit, we also have a youtube tutorial video, see link below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu6KDpqLaSs
How long can I leave a sample on the test plate before heating? If I want to test 4 strains it will take a number of mins to submerge samples, shake, wait 2 mins and apply to test plate. Will it skew the results if samples remain on the plate for different periods of time prior to heating?
Before heating, you can leave the sample on the test plate for 10 to 20 minutes, as long as you have placed the test plate in a secure zone away from possible contamination. It will not affect the results if you place each sample on the test plate at different times. But we commend you to prepare all your samples with test fluid first and then proceed with applying the samples on the test plate.