Here at The Good Lab, we’ve been experimenting with making capsules, and we’ve found a really slick and inexpensive way to get accurate dosing using concentrates and coconut oil.
We had some concentrates around we didn’t particularly like but didn’t want to waste, so we decided to try dissolving them in coconut oil. At a ratio of 10 parts coconut oil to 1 part concentrate, they dissolved and homogenized beautifully.
Using our HPLC, we tested the potency of the oil before putting it into capsules (See chart below). The total cannabinoid percentage of 26.64% equates to 245 milligrams per milliliter. However, when we tried a half milliliter of the oil, we didn’t get the desired effect: sleep.
Since we planned to use these capsules for sleep, we wanted more activated THC. The higher ratio of THC-A to THC wasn’t likely to be as effective on sleep as we needed. The solution: decarboxylate the oil blend.
We warmed the oil in a beaker on a coffee cup warmer at 190 degrees Fahrenheit and tested it after 3 hours, 5 hours and 8 hours until we got the ratio we wanted.
Our initial ratio of THC:THC-A was 1:2. After decarboxylating for a few hours we flipped that ratio to 2:1.
From the chart, it looks like we lost a little potency in the process, but that can be misleading due to the natural loss of weight during decarboxylation. We can also see that the THC is beginning to break down into CBN, a cannabinoid more conducive to sleep, as that percentage slowly rises.
We filled capsules with .5ml of the decarbed infused coconut oil.
Approximate potency per capsule:
Total cannabinoids: 115 mg
CBD-A: 14 mg
CBD: 43 mg
THC-A: 15 mg
THC: 37 mg
Other cannabinoids: 7 mg
Cannabinoid ratio:
CBD:CBD-A = 3:1
THC:THC-A = 5:2
THC:CBD = 1:1
This blend and potency seems to be working well for both sleep and pain.
We can do this for customers too, using our HPLC. After testing your concentrates for cannabinoid profile and potency, we blend them into oil to get the dilution needed for capsules. This is a great way to get accurate dosing at a price you can afford. Call us for more information.