DNA fingerprinting of Cannabis sativa using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) amplification

Chemical analysis of cannabinoid, and Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) fingerprinting of DNA were used to identify different samples of Cannabis sativa L. for forensic purposes. Three samples were classified into two types, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) chemo-types, by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The two samples of the CBD type were not distinguished by their HPLC patterns. ISSR fingerprinting identified polymorphic DNA patterns between these samples. ISSR fingerprinting clearly differentiated between cannabis samples that could not be achieved by HPLC analysis.