Hemp belongs to the hemp family (Cannabaceae) and can be grown worldwide in both tropical and temperate climates. The plant grows quickly and reaches a height of up to three meters. It is considered to improve the soil and, unlike other crops, requires little fertilizer. Hemp is dioecious – so there are male and female plants. The female plants are more branched than the male plants. The flowers are in the axils of small leaves, from which small nutlets develop after fertilization. The flowers of the male plants develop more quickly than the female and are kept in terminal dense panicles.
Hemp (Cannabis sativa) is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. Originally, it comes from the Near East and Central Asia. From there, the robust plant spread widely around the world: Because similar to flax (Linum usitatissimum) it is versatile: The herb can be used as cattle feed, the seeds give high energy oil, the fibers of the plant are raw material for the production of ropes, nets, sails, clothes and paper. And: it is a very special healing plant.
Different kinds of hemp are also cultivated as medicine. Until prohibition in 1937, 30 to 40 percent of the medicines in pharmacies contained cannabis as a base ingredient. These remedies were used for everyday ailments, were relatively inexpensive and never harmful.
The first written documentation about their healing effects is said to come from former China. A Shen Nung from the Shang period (2700 B.C.) recommends the applications of cannabis resin for women’s diseases, – and as late as the 19th century, cannabis was an important component of home pharmacies for various purposes. Especially in the treatment of pain of various causes – from joint and muscle pain, in rheumatic diseases, from migraine to cramp-like complaints in connection with menstruation – cannabis preparations have been used since ancient times.
Hemp was also part of the medicinal plant treasure in India: Ayurvedic doctors used hemp for epilepsy, mental illnesses, diarrhea, menstrual disorders or changeable fever (“malaria”) – to name just a few diseases. Herodotus brought the knowledge of hemp to the Mediterranean region (484-424 B.C.). He reported about the Scythians at the Caspian Sea, who processed hemp seeds for the production of intoxicating drinks.
From the 16th century, cannabis was also found as a medicinal plant in European herbal books of monasteries. Here the plant is used as medicine against rheumatic and bronchial diseases, later in the 19th century it was used against migraine, neuralgia, epilepsy and similar seizures, as well as sleep disorders. Until 1898, hemp was used as the most common painkiller in America until it has been replaced by synthetic medicines and aspirin. Between 1850 and 1950, there were more than a hundred different cannabis medicines in Europe.
Youtube information about hemp; comparison of alcohol and hemp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD1HikaELK4
New introduction of the raw material hemp in the textile industry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY5o0-G8hN8
The hemp jeans, comparison of cotton and hemp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=43&v=iMb8r8nJmhQ
Healing and active ingredients:
The constituent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) of the hemp plant was shown to be the most active ingredient in 1942.
However, the special interest in cannabis research awakened in 1964 with the exact identification of the chemical structure of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), its metabolism, and the possible harmful and beneficial effects of cannabis and individual cannabinoids.
Cannabinoids are transformation products and synthetic analogues of some terpene phenols mainly found in the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica).
So far, more than 400 natural ingrediants of the cannabis plant have been discovered. Most of these substances also occur in many other plants. The ingredients of the hemp plants include amino acids, proteins, sugar terpenes, cannabinoids, flavonoids, vitamins, hydrocarbons, alcohol, aldehydes, ketones, fatty acids, and other groups of substances.
Eugenol, a terpene found in the hemp plant, has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.
The 1,8-cineole increases blood flow in the brain and linalool has an anxiety-releasing and calming effect.
Of the 400 ingrediants discovered, 120 cannabis ingredients alone belong to the chemical group of terpenes, better known as essential oils.
The essential hemp oil available today via the internet, is the cannabidiol (CBD), it occurs mainly in the fiber hemp. The THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is only found in the drug hemp varieties. THC causes a psychoactive effect, but CBD does not. For this reason, CBD oil is available completely legally.
The CBD oil extracted from the medicinal hemp (fiber hemp) contains some important cannabioids that activate the body’s protective system ECS according to the lock and key principle. These are:
- CBC: The most common cannabionoid extinguishes inflammation, inhibits pain and contributes to cell renewal.
- CBD: Works against migraines, has an antispasmodic effect and relieves severe pain such as arthritis.
- CBDA: Works against nausea. Initial studies show positive results in inhibiting tumor cells.
- CBG: Has an antibacterial effect, also supporting the immune system.
- CBN: Calms and relaxes against inner restlessness and anxiety. This cannabinoid also has a positive effect on too high intraocular pressure.
CBD oil contains a lot of important vitamins, minerals and trace elements, that rarely occur in a natural substance in this variety.
Further research into cannabinoids led to the discovery of the body’s own protection, the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) (endo stands for endogenous). Or how the brain communicates with the body to keep it healthy.
The first endogenous cannabinoid was discovered in 1992 and named anandamide, according to the Sanskrit word ananda for bliss and amide, its chemical structure. Later, more of these endocannabinoids were discovered. Endocannabinoids belong to the natural messengers that transmit messages in the brain and other organs about the state of the body and cause cells to react in certain ways. Therefore, the protection of nerve cells is now considered one of the most important functions of endocannabinoids.
The endocannabinoid system was named after the hemp plant, after scientists discovered in their cannabis research that there are receptors for cannabinoids everywhere in the human body. These are not only found in the hemp plant but are also produced by the body protection or healing itself.
Application
The hemp plant has many different varieties. All varieties are similar, but the distribution and amount of psychotropic substances vary, sometimes significantly, especially for the main active ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). (A psychotropic substance is a mixture of one or more active ingredients that affects the human psyche.)
Basically, a distinction is made today between cannabis type (THC content 1-15%) and fiber type (THC content less than 1.25%).
Legal Cannabis usually has a CBD content of 10 to 20 % and has a residual THC content of 0.3 to 0.7 % Unlike THC, CBD has no psychoactive effects on it, so it is not a drug that influences mood and perception.
In drugs hemp varieties, from which among other things, Marijuana (cannabis herb), and Hashish (cannabis resin) are obtained, THC occurs in high concentrations of 1 to 25 %.
In the European Union, fiber hemp may contain a maximum of 0.2 % THC so that intoxication with this hemp is safely excluded.
We will only deal with the essential properties and applications of CBD (Cannabidiol), below hemp oil1. On applications for the prescription with the hemp ingredient TCP can be read in the book “Hemp as Medicine”, by Dr. med. Franjo Grotenhermen.
Pain relieving effect: The most commonly described applications of the oil are in the areas of pain and relief of inflammation. Both chronic and inflammatory pain can be suppressed by the oil. CBD works mainly against pain in the peripheral nervous system and not in the central nervous system as usual drugs do. This effect on the neurosynapse mainly benefits people with chronic pain, especially if they result from muscle pain and tension.
Against nausea: Even those who suffer from nausea and vomiting will find in the oil an alternative to conventional pharmaceuticals. One advantage of the oil is that it does not affect the mucous membrane of the stomach.
Antispasmodic effect: The oil intended to help especially children who suffer from various forms of Epilepsy and Dravet syndrome. Reports based on experiences, that are, however, not supported by medical studies, show a drastic withdrawal of seizures when this oil has been taken. This was the case, for example, of a six-year-old girl who has already experienced more than 1200 epileptic seizures in her young life. By taking Cannabidiol, the frequency of seizures was reduced to three per month.
Against skin problems and acne: Hemp is booming from the food industry to the cosmetics industry. More and more creams and cosmetic articles contain active ingredients from industrially produced hemp. This is because the active ingredients appear as natural anti-inflammation, blocking lipid synthesis, that is responsible for skin problems. In addition, the sebum glands get stimulated, emitting a defensive reaction against acne three times more intense than the effect of other commercially available agents.
The sebum gland, lat. glandula sebacea, is a holocrine gland located in the upper part of the dermis (stratum superficiale dermidis) produces lipids that reach the skin surface called sebum (Wikipedia)).
Helps with depression and permanent stress: The formation of nerve cells in the brain can also be stimulated by taking the oil. Neurogenesis is the technical term. Formation of the new cells takes place mainly in the hippocampus. In this part of the brain, information from various sensory systems flows together, especially from the area of conscious memory and control.
Against social phobias: In a clinical study that dealt with social anxiety, scientists found that candidates who have to give a speech were significantly less excited if they had taken CBD oil before the advantage over conventional medication in the field of anxiety and anxiety disorder is that the oil does not cause any side effects, as is usually the case with antidepressants.
Gives energy: The active ingredients are absorbed by the body cells like a booster, which strengthens the entire organism. Free radicals also feel disturbed by the antioxidant effect of the oil.
Cannabidiol oil against insomnia: A very good alternative to sleeping pills is cannabidiol oil, which is free of side effects. In addition, one is well rested and awake in the morning.
Fight acne with CBD oil: Due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects and the effect that the fat content of the skin is reduced, CBD oil is a very good to permanently fight acne. Another excellent oil for acne and pimples is black cumin (seed) oil.
Prevent diabetes with CBD Oil: Cannabidiol oil is said to be an extremely good prevention against diabetes, as based on studies on mice. CBD can positively influence circulatory disorders in this disease.
Releave multiple sclerosis: A study was also carried out on mice. The mice were given CBD for 10 days and it was found that only the general condition improved significantly, but also the ability to move drastically.
Releave Crohn’s Disease: This disease can also be alleviated with CBD oil, because the oil not only has a positive effect on the intestine, but also has an anti-inflammatory effect. This means that for Crohn’s disease patients, there is a significant improvement in the disease, which can be read in many testimonials.
Control of different types of cancer2:
One of the most remarkable findings in recent years has been the discovery of the anti-cancer effects of cannabidiol (CBD). In 2006, Italian scientists found that cannabidiol inhibited the growth of human breast cancer cells, injected under the skin of mice. CBD also reduced lung metastases that had developed from human breast cancer cells in animals. Cannabinoid caused the cells to kill themselves. Other experimental studies confirm the anti-cancer properties of cannabidiol. In 2013, for example, an Italian research group reported on the tumor-inhibiting effects of CBD in a brain tumor (glioma). Unfortunately, it is not known yet whether and how these observations can be transmitted to humans.
With the emergence of modern pharmacology, the therapeutic possibilities of the hemp plant receded into the background, while its abuse as a drug was strongly emphasized. At present, efforts are emerging to differentiate more clearly and rationally between intoxication and healing effects and to investigate whether the therapeutic effects described in an abundance of individual observations can be reproduced under the controlled conditions of clinical studies.
In what form is cannabis prescribed?
Cannabis is prescribed, for example, as a mouth spray (e.g. Sativex), for multiple sclerosis. Cannabis can also be prescribed as capsules – usually to relieve nausea caused by illness (e.g. in cancer). Pure dried cannabis flowers can also be used medicinally – in tea, in food, or smoked. It is also available as CBD oil for a wide variety of applications.
The dosage is individually adjusted to the patient by the doctor. The goal is to maximize effectiveness while minimizing side effects.
The dosage to be prescribed is between 5 mg and 20 mg THC per day. This is usually tolerated without side effects or, in some cases, with mild side effects (e.g., dry mouth, dizziness, and palpitations). Since cannabis has a comparatively low addictive potential, dependence is not to be expected in the context of medical treatment.
Available cannabinoid or cannabis-based medications
- Cannabis flowers from pharmacies can be purchased by patients who have a special exemption permit from the Federal Opium Agency for the use of cannabis.
- Dronabinol is another name for THC, naturally found in the hemp plant. It may be prescribed on a narcotic prescription in Germany, like the other drugs Marinol, Nabion and Sativex.
- Sativex is a spray from a cannabis extract approved in Germany for the treatment of spasticity in multiple sclerosis. Health insurers reimburse the cost if prescribed for this indication. It contains equal proportions of CBD and THC.
- Epidiolex is a CBD-rich cannabis extract for use in therapy-resistant epilepsy of children.
- Avidekel is a CBD-rich cannabistype developed by Israeli companies Tikum Olam with 15.8% CBD and hardly any THC.
There are suppliers of CBD extracts made from fiber hemp on the internet. CBD oil is available in different dosages, 5 %, 7.5 % and 10 % solutions. The quality also varies. For example, not every CBD oil on the market has a certificate of marketability. Therefore, I recommend that you make sure that the cannabidiol oil is certified.
- Hemp products at: https://exvital.de/cbd-und-hanfprodukte/226/cbd-oel-5-von-exvital-vitahealth-10ml-tropfen
- Here you can find hemp oil, hemp tea, hemp coffee, hemp cereal, hemp nuts, hemp herbs and spices, hemp beer, etc.
Organic hemp directly from farmers in Germany: https://hanflinge.de/
Conclusion:
Hemp is more than just a crop, medicinal plant, drug or animal feed. Hardly any other plant has such a high utility value and is even so undemanding – without fertilizer -, robust and resistant.
Note: For health conditions, do not use medicinal plants without consulting a doctor or pharmacist. In case of animal diseases, consult a veterinarian.
Literature:
1https://hempamed.de/blogs/news/die-zehn-besten-eigenschaften-von-cbd-cannabidol-hanfol
http://www.gkf-berlin.de/Cannabis-sativa-Hanf-als-Heilpflanze.htm
https://www.cannabidiol-oel.info/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=BdQb3mxRTMg
https://hanfverband.de/flyer_cannabis_als_medizin
2Hanf als Medizin, ein praxisorientierter Ratgeber, Dr. med. Franjo Grotenhermen, Nachtschatten-Verlag
Hanföl und Hanfsamen, Barbara Simonsohn, Schirner-Verlag
Hanf heilt – die Wiederentdeckung einer uralten Volksmedizin -, Wernard Bruining, Kopp-Verlag
Contact:
manfred.markgraf@email.de
Photo: © Pixabay
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