The compound closely resembles that of THC, but exhibits less of a psychoactive effect with potentially better anti-inflammatory properties.

While several plants other than marijuana are known to produce cannabinoids, cannabis is the only plant so far discovered to contain THC, the primary psychoactive compound generally associated with a "high." In the 1990s scientists discovered that a liverwort plant called Radula perrottetii contained a natural compound with an extraordinary structural similarity to THC.

This natural compound, dubbed perrottetinene, underpinned anecdotal reports suggesting this particular genus of liverwort moss could be an effective "legal high." However, the actual pharmacological effects of this unique compound have never been investigated.

In a new published study, scientists for the first time have homed in on the pharmacological effects of perrottetinene, discovering it does indeed activate the same cannabinoid receptors in the brain as THC, albeit with a significantly reduced psychoactive potency.