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Marinol

Marinol molecule structureMarinol molecule structure
Open in Piru

Marinol is a pharmaceutical preparation of a synthetic cannabinoid1 in the benzopyran chemical class. It contains a synthetic form of the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis, without other related isomers or cannabidiol. It stimulates appetite in people with HIV/AIDS-related appetite loss2 and treats chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting when conventional antiemetic treatments have been inadequate.3

Dosage & Duration

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Dosage

Doses are population estimates that vary widely between individuals.

Threshold~10 mg
Light10-20 mg
Moderate20-30 mg
Strong30-50 mg
Heavy50+ mg

Duration

After Effects1-4 hours

Subjective Effects

Legacy content. A statistically backed ontology from Mindstate Design Labs is coming soon.

Effects vary widely by individual, dose, and context.

Physical

Dehydration

Cognitive

LaughterThought connectivityThought decelerationImmersion enhancementConceptual thinkingMindfulnessInformation processing suppressionAnxiety

Visual

Colour enhancementAcuity suppression

Auditory

Enhancements
Forked from Subjective Effect Documentation work byJosie Kins April 2015.

Pharmacology

Pharmacodynamics

Dronabinol acts as a weak partial agonist at CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, contributing to its appetite-stimulating and analgesic actions. It also produces sympathomimetic activity, although an indirect action on sympathetic neurons is suggested rather than established.3 Dronabinol inhibits the transport proteins BCRP/ABCG2 and P-glycoprotein.

Pharmacokinetics

About 90-95% of an oral dose is absorbed, but only 10-20% reaches systemic circulation because of first-pass liver metabolism and high lipid solubility.3 Hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes metabolize dronabinol through hydroxylation and oxidation, producing an active metabolite that is subsequently converted to an inactive carboxy metabolite; glucuronide conjugates are also formed. Dronabinol is a substrate of CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP3A4, UGT1A1, UGT1A3, and UGT1A9. It inhibits CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2B6, CYP2C19, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and CYP3A7, with weak inhibition specified for CYP3A5 and CYP3A7; CYP2C9 induction is also reported. Several CYP2C9 variants are inferred to confer poor metabolism. Dronabinol and its principal active metabolite occur at approximately equal plasma concentrations.3 Its apparent distribution volume is approximately 10 L/kg,3 and plasma protein binding of dronabinol and its metabolites is approximately 97%.3 Elimination has an initial half-life of about 4 hours and a terminal half-life of 25-36 hours; average clearance is about 0.2 L/kg/hour and varies substantially because of its complex distribution.3 Excretion occurs mainly through bile into feces, with approximately half of a radiolabeled oral dose recovered in feces within 72 hours and 10-15% in urine; less than 5% of the oral dose is recovered unchanged in feces.4 Redistribution allows prolonged excretion, and metabolites have been detected in urine and feces for more than five weeks after a single dose.4 In a study of oral capsules in AIDS patients, urinary measurements suggested steady-state cannabinoid levels after two weeks.4 Inhaled and mucoadhesive dronabinol formulations limit first-pass metabolism.

Interactions

Interactions not written up yet

An unlisted combination is an unknown one, not a safe one. Check a dedicated combination chart before mixing.

Check TripSit

Tolerance

Tolerance timelines are rules of thumb, not exact schedules, and vary widely between individuals and use patterns.

Full Tolerance
With chronic use, Marinol (dronabinol) produces tolerance to some cardiovascular and central nervous system effects.3 In 12 healthy men receiving divided doses at 12 times the maximum recommended dose for AIDS-associated anorexia, tolerance to cardiovascular effects and subjective adverse central nervous system effects developed within 12 days. Tolerance to appetite stimulation does not appear to develop; this effect remained sustained for up to 5 months in AIDS patients taking recommended doses.5

Harm Potential

Addiction & Dependence

Psychological

Low

Continued administration of dronabinol can lead to addiction.3 SYNDROS oral solution can be abused without manipulation, and people with a history of substance abuse or dependence may be more likely to abuse it.

Physical

Low

Physical dependence may develop during chronic SYNDROS therapy.6 Abrupt discontinuation of dronabinol capsules after 210 mg daily for 12–16 days produced irritability, insomnia, and restlessness within 12 hours, followed by hot flashes, sweating, rhinorrhea, loose stools, hiccups, and appetite loss around 24 hours; these symptoms gradually subsided over the following 48 hours.6 Withdrawal-associated EEG hyperexcitation was recorded, and sleep disturbances persisted for several weeks after high-dose therapy ended.7

Toxicity

Reproductive and developmental

Dronabinol exposure at maternally toxic doses reduced maternal weight gain and viable offspring numbers and increased fetal mortality and early resorptions in two animal species;7 in rats, maternal exposure from implantation through weaning also caused offspring mortality and adverse developmental and neurodevelopmental effects.

Cardiovascular

Dronabinol can cause tachycardia, orthostatic hypotension, and fainting on abrupt standing;3 severe overdose can produce orthostatic hypotension.7

Nervous system

Dronabinol can impair memory and motor coordination, while severe overdose can cause lethargy, slurred speech, and severe ataxia.

Urinary

Dronabinol overdose can cause urinary retention.7

Gastrointestinal

Dronabinol overdose can reduce bowel motility.7

Psychosis Risk

High-dose dronabinol abuse or misuse increases the risk of psychiatric reactions, including psychosis, hallucinations, depersonalization, mood changes, and paranoia.3 Paranoia and confusion are also reported as common side effects.3

Seizure Risk

Low

Dronabinol overdose may cause seizures in patients with existing seizure disorders.3

History & Culture

The United States Food and Drug Administration first approved dronabinol on May 31, 1985. It was marketed under the names Marinol and Syndros and became available by prescription in countries including the United States, Germany, South Africa, and Australia. In Canada, Tetra Bio-Pharma submitted an…

Legality

International

Dronabinol has approved, illicit, and investigational regulatory groupings.

By Country

Prescription3
United States flagUnited StatesPrescription only
Colombia flagColombiaPrescription only
Italy flagItalyPrescription only

References

Citations

  1. FDA Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products, Including Cannabidiol (CBD). U.S. Food and Drug Administration (n.d.). https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-regulation-cannabis-and-cannabis-derived-products-including-cannabidiol-cbd1
  2. Cannabis (Marijuana) and Cannabinoids: What You Need To Know. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (n.d.). https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/cannabis-marijuana-and-cannabinoids-what-you-need-to-know1
  3. DailyMed — MARINOL (dronabinol) capsule. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov (n.d.). https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=d0efeeec-640d-43c3-8f0a-d31324a11c681234567891011121314151617181920
  4. SYNDROS (dronabinol) oral solution — Prescribing Information. DailyMed, National Library of Medicine (n.d.). https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=c2bc83c1-f9fe-11e2-b778-0800200c9a66123456
  5. DailyMed: DRONABINOL solution. DailyMed (2026). https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=44205ae6-b86a-485c-baf6-233a2c8786401
  6. DailyMed — SYNDROS (dronabinol) solution. DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine (2026). https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=3cdcb4f5-5af9-4ff7-b535-2a5cf4c6da891234
  7. MARINOL (dronabinol) Capsules prescribing information. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2005). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2005/018651s021lbl.pdf12345
  8. Tetra Bio-Pharma Files New Drug Submission for REDUVO(TM) in Canada. ACCESS Newswire / Tetra Bio-Pharma (2020). https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/biotechnology/tetra-bio-pharma-files-new-drug-submission-for-reduvotm-in-canada-6225641
  9. Schedules of Controlled Substances: Rescheduling of the Food and Drug Administration Approved Product Containing Synthetic Dronabinol in Sesame Oil and Encapsulated in Soft Gelatin Capsules From Schedule II to Schedule III. govinfo.gov (n.d.). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1999-07-02/pdf/99-16833.pdf123
  10. Respectable Reefer. MAPS / Mother Jones (2005). https://maps.org/2005/10/19/respectable_reefer1

Further Reading

  1. Banister et al. 2019 - Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Δ 9 -Tetrahydrocannabinol

Article Status

  • Josie Kins avatar
    Step 1 · Automated synthesis

    An autonomous workflow built by Josie Kins compiled this article's foundation from information published across the web.

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