Research outputs related to the therapeutic profile of cannabidiol (CBD) in the treatment of a myriad of conditions, have increased significantly. Subsequently, the legalisation, regulation, marketing and use of cannabidiol (CBD) topical products have gained the attention of researchers, society and policymakers. These products include oils, creams, capsules, tinctures and lotions which are easily accessible to the public. the exponential use of CBD products has been accompanied by major health concerns, which are widely overlooked. These arise from the potential infiltration of toxic constituents from extraction processes in the final products, which may advertently be consumed by the consumer. In addition, there are increasing global reports demonstrating that CBD products are not being subjected to emphatic regulatory tests to validate their chemical profile and safety. In this study, the chemical profiles and quality of commercial CBD oils was evaluated. The commercial CBD oils were assessed using thin layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography with photodioide array detection (HPLC-PDA), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The dermal anti-inflammatory properties were evaluated using the lipoxygenase assay and the modified skin irritancy patch test. The presence of CBD was confirmed in some of CBD products detected. Analysis by TLC, HPLC and GC-MS showed notable variabilities in the chemical profiles of compounds detected in CBD oils. The Lipoxygenase assay showed no significant enzyme inhibition, while the modified skin patch test results demonstrated that only one CBD oil had the most significant reduction of erythema, deduced from the visual (p=7.05 x10-5) and chromameter (p= 2.10 x10-3) readings. The lipoxygenase enzyme inhibition and dermal anti-inflammatory properties of CBD oil products varied across all products.

Keywords: Research outputs related to the therapeutic profile of cannabidiol (CBD) in the treatment of a myriad of conditions, have increased significantly. Subsequently, the legalisation, regulation, marketing and use of cannabidiol (CBD) topical products have gained the attention of researchers, society and policymakers. These products include oils, creams, capsules, tinctures and lotions which are easily accessible to the public. the exponential use of CBD products has been accompanied by major health