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What countries is/was this plant used as a medicine?

Hemp has been used since ancient times, and the medicinal use of the plant first originated in China. The first written evidence that hemp could be used for medicinal purposes came from 2737 BCE. Emperor Shen-Nung discovered that hemp oils and different teas helped with pain relief, and he wrote down his findings. Years later, Hua Tuo, a Chinese physician, was the first to use cannabis as an anesthetic and noted that the plant could also be used to assist in the treatment of blood clots, hair loss, and tapeworms. Hemp was also used by the Ancient Romans, and Middle Easterners. This plant was especially popular in Middle Eastern regions because alcohol is forbidden in Islam, and the plant had many pain-relieving properties. Soon enough, the use of hemp reached the Western world, and it became widely used throughout the rest of the world (Schultz, 2018). Currently, hemp is being used in many countries and is commercially grown in Africa, North America, Asia, and Europe. Canada is a major producer of hemp, and is responsible for up to 90% of the total US hemp import market (Ministry of Hemp, n.d.) Since hemp contains very little THC, it is legal in the majority of the world.

The current medicinal uses of the plant:

There are numerous medicinal uses of the hemp plant. Many people think that cannabis, hemp, and marijuana are the same thing. Cannabis is actually the genus name of a type of plant, and the two classifications that fall into this family are Indica and Sativa. Hemp and marijuana are both species of cannabis, and they both fall into the cannabis Sativa family. In other words, hemp and marijuana are both cannabis, but they are different varieties of the cannabis Sativa classification. Their structures appear to be similar, but with close inspection, each plant has very clear distinctions, and each plant has their own specific properties. Hemp contains cannabidiol (CBD) which does not contain any intoxicating properties. Hemp contains little to no THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) which causes the “high” sensation which is found in marijuana (Cadena, 2018). Hemp oil and CBD oil can both be used for different purposes, but they are different from each other. CBD is a compound that is found in the flowers of the hemp plant, and hemp oil is made from pressing hemp seeds. CBD is the component found in the hemp plant that is generally used for medicinal purposes, whereas hemp oil is typically used as an ingredient in soaps, and protein supplements, and supports skin, hair and nails. CBD oil is able to treat inflammation, sleeping disorders, pain, and more (Fuego, 2018). CBD oil is able to help with the following conditions:

Anxiety

-CBD oil can help to reduce anxiety and stress, and if you know that you are about to experience an anxiety attack or be in a stressful situation, you should use CBD oil beforehand (Highland Pharms, 2018).

Pain relief

-CBD oil can help to relieve pain caused by arthritis or muscle spasms. The level of relief you will feel depends on how much oil you consume and how much pain you feel in the first place (Highland Pharms, 2018).

Insomnia treatment

• CBD oil can help to rest your mind when you have trouble sleeping. Some people vape the oil instead of ingesting it and find that it helps them sleep better (Highland Pharms, 2018).

Better focus and concentration

• CBD oil can help to keep your mind focused and help you stay alert throughout the day (Highland Pharms, 2018).

Muscle recovery

• CBD gummies and other supplements can be used to release stress and soreness on the body after a workout (Highland Pharms, 2018).

Acne and other skin conditions

• This oil does not always need to be ingested. You can put CBD lotions directly on your skin to help out infected areas, or you may eat an edible or take some drops (Highland Pharms, 2018).

Can reduce cancer-related symptoms

• Studies have investigated CBD’s effect on nausea, vomiting, and pain induced by chemotherapy and have found that it helped some patients over the period of their treatment (Kubala, 2018).

Can benefit heart health

• Recent studies have linked the use of CBD to heart-related conditions and it has shown to benefit the heart and circulatory system by being able to lower blood pressure (Kubala, 2018).

Plant parts used (leaves, flowers, roots, etc.) in obtaining the drug from the plant:

Cannabidiol (CBD) can be extracted from the stems, blossoms, and leaves of industrial hemp plants and can be further processed for medicinal purposes. There are many ways to extract CBD oil from the hemp plant. A popular method involves soaking the hemp plant in grain alcohol. After the plant soaks, the remaining liquid consists of CBD and other substances from the hemp plant. You can later evaporate the liquid which will leave you with the CBD oil. You can also extract the oil through the use of carbon dioxide. This process is much more complex and may require more experience and skill as it involves forcing carbon dioxide through the plants to extract the natural oils (Floyd's of Leadville, 2018).

• Other unique or interesting facts about the plant:
• Levi Strauss jeans were originally made of hemp
• The Alice in Wonderland book was originally printed on hemp paper
• Many paintings by Vincent Van Gogh were created on hemp canvases
• There are over 25,000 uses of the hemp plant
• Hemp can be ready for harvesting after only 120 days of being planted
• Hemp seeds are packed with protein and people can eat them
• Hemp products are very durable
• Hemp can be used to create a variety of different products such as mulch, canvas, clothes, rope, paper, other accessories, and much more!

Unlike marijuana, hemp is not classified as an illicit drug since it does not contain any levels of THC. Hemp is typically used for industrial purposes, and when it is used to create CBD or hemp oil for everyday use, it is still extremely unlikely for it to show up in an actual drug test due to the lack in psychoactive ingredients.

Research ONE medicinal use of your plant on the internet (you may use the internet sources provided to you, but you MUST use TWO additional SCIENTIFIC research papers that investigate your plant of choice).

Findings 

A major medicinal use of the hemp plant is CBD, which was previously mentioned. There are numerous medical studies concluding that CBD has helped to manage anxiety and panic disorders. Since cannabidiol does not produce a “high” sensation, it does not interfere with a person’s mental well-being or makes them more paranoid during a panic attack.

A study conducted in 2010 proved that cannabidiol was able to manage social anxiety and symptoms associated with the disorder in a group of people suffering with a social anxiety disorder (SAD). The researchers noticed changes in blood flow to parts of the brain that link to panic and anxiety, and they noticed this by observing the participants’ brain scans. The study concluded that the CBD changed the ways that the participants reacted to their anxiety in social situations (Villines, 2018). For instance, the people that received pretreatment with CBD had better speech performance and were able to manage their discomfort. The participants that received a placebo showed more discomfort in their speech performance and were unable to manage their anxiety and tension (Bergamaschi, Queiroz, Chagas, Oliveira, Martinis, Kapczinski, Crippa, 2011).

Another similar study conducted in 2015 proved that CBD oil could help treat different forms of short-term anxiety in people with social anxiety disorders, panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and more (Blessing, Steenkamp, Manzanares, & Marmar, 2015). The researchers concluded that the CBD was able to reduce anxiety related to public speaking and it was also able to decrease people’s tendency to think of fearful thoughts during the social action they were performing.

Any complications or side effects of using the plant as a drug?

There have been studies that have tried to investigate any side effects associated with CBD oil and researchers have found that adults are able to tolerate a variety of different doses. High dosages have not been proven to have any side effects on the central nervous system or mood, and the only side effects associated with CBD oil are diarrhea, fatigue, and appetite changes which are not major (Johnson, 2018).

All of the aforementioned research has supported the medicinal claims of hemp’s use as a drug. There have been numerous medicinal studies and investigations that have proved that the use of CBD oil and other related products can benefit the human body in a variety of different ways. In fact, Harvard Medical School released an article on CBD oil and how it is able to support a variety of medical conditions. For instance, the article explains how many studies proved that CBD was able to reduce the number of seizures and even stop them all together when testing its effectiveness on Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Also, the FDA has recently approved a type of medicine that is suited for these medical conditions (known as Epidiolex), which contains CBD (Grinspoon, 2018). Overall, there has not been any research that disputes the medicinal claims of hemp’s use as a drug, and most studies say that CBD products hold potential for even more medicinal uses in the future.

One argument for preserving tropical forests is that there are many plant species used as medicine by aboriginal people that have not yet been identified or scientifically investigated. Do some research to find examples of tropical plants that may be beneficial (use the word “ethnobotany” in your search) – do not use the plants listed in questions 1 and 2. Do you think this is a valid reason to preserve rainforests? Support your opinion in a paragraph.

Some tropical plants that are used for their medicinal properties and have not been scientifically investigated include:

• Lapacho

Lapacho is often recommended by herbalists as a treatment for cancer, but there is no real scientific evidence that has proven that the plant is effective for this issue. The lapacho tree grows in rainforests throughout South America and herbal tea can be made using the inner portion of the tree’s bark, as it is the most effective part of the tree. The indigenous peoples of South America use lapacho for numerous infectious diseases and they have found it extremely helpful (Health Library, n.d.).

• Valerian root

Valerian root is used to reduce anxiety and to treat insomnia. There has been some research that has suggested that valerian can help treat some sleep-related issues, but there have not been any official studies that have confirmed the benefits of this plant (University of Rochester Medical Centre, n.d.).

• Cordoncillo

Cordoncillo is a traditional medicinal plant found in the Amazon Rainforest. Indigenous people in the Amazon chew on the leaves of this plant and it creates a numbing effect in the mouth that is comparable to novocain. Some other traditional uses of this plant include stopping blood hemorrhages, disinfecting wounds, and treating respiratory illnesses (McDivitt, (n.d.)

• Trachelospermum asiaticum

Trachelospermum asiaticum is also referred to as “star jasmine” and is located in tropical and subtropical forests of China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The plant is used in Korea to treat ulcers and to soothe laryngitis, however, there is confirmation or scientific evidence supporting this claim (Shah, n.d.).

After researching the plants above, I strongly believe that we should preserve tropical forests due to the fact that there are many plant species used as medicine by aboriginal people that have not yet been identified or scientifically investigated. In general, I believe that humans should protect rainforests at all costs since they are extremely rich in biodiversity and provide resources and habitat to animals that depend on them. By investigating different medicinal plants, I have learned that the majority of them have been used for hundreds of years. Although these plants have not been scientifically investigated, I believe that they are a significant part of many different cultures. For instance, if aboriginals have been using specific types of plants for hundreds of years, the plants must be helping in some type of way. Ultimately, if these tropical plants had no effect on the human body, why would people be using them for such long periods of time? Plants are extremely rich in helpful medicinal properties and I believe that the Earth’s medicine is the best medicine.

References

1. Online scientific journal references- Bergamaschi, M. M., Queiroz, R. H., Chagas, M. H., Oliveira, D. C., Martinis, B. S., Kapczinski, F., Crippa, J. A. (2011). Cannabidiol Reduces the Anxiety Induced by Simulated Public Speaking in Treatment-Naïve Social Phobia Patients. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/npp20116?foxtrotcallback=true
2. Blessing, E. M., Steenkamp, M. M., Manzanares, J., & Marmar, C. R. (2015). Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13311-015-0387-1
3. Website references- Cadena, A. (2018, September 10). Hemp vs Marijuana: The Difference Explained – CBD Origin – Medium. Retrieved from https://medium.com/cbd-origin/hemp-vs-marijuana-the-difference-explained-a837c51aa8f7 
4. Floyd's of Leadville. (January 28, 2018). How is CBD Hemp Oil Made? Retrieved from https://floydsofleadville.com/cbd-hemp-oil-made/
5. Fuego, H. (2018, July 12). Ask a Stoner: Is CBD Oil the Same as Hemp Oil in Food? Retrieved from https://www.westword.com/marijuana/cbd-oil-vs-hemp-oil-whats-the-difference-9622875
6. Grinspoon, P. (2018, August 24). Cannabidiol (CBD) - what we know and what we don't. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cannabidiol-cbd-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont-2018082414476
7. Health Library. (n.d.). Lapacho. Retrieved from https://hcahealthcare.com/hl/?/21797/Lapacho
8. Hemphy Team. (n.d.). Interesting facts about Hemp. Retrieved from https://hempfy.com/blogs/articles/interesting-facts-about-hemp
9. Highland Pharms. (2018, June 04). Top 10 Uses for CBD Oil. Retrieved from https://highlandpharms.com/top-10-uses-for-cbd-oil/
10. Johnson, J. (2018, July 27). CBD oil: Uses, health benefits, and risks. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317221.php
11. Kubala, J. (February 26, 2018). 7 Benefits and Uses of CBD Oil (Plus Side Effects). Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cbd-oil-benefits#section6
12. McDivitt, M. (n.d.). Gold of the Jungle: Medicinal Plants in the Amazon Rainforest. Retrieved from http://blog.perunature.com/medicinal-plants-of-the-amazon-rainforest
13. Ministry of Hemp. (n.d.). What Countries Grow Hemp? | Hemp Growing Countries. Retrieved from https://ministryofhemp.com/hemp/countries/
14. Schultz, K. (2018, March 08). Hemp As Medicine From Ancient China To Modern Times. Retrieved from https://ministryofhemp.com/blog/hemp-as-medicine/
15. Shah, B.N. (n.d.). A Review on Medicinal Plants as a Source of Anti-inflammatory Agents. Retrieved from https://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=rjmp.2011.101.115
16. University of Rochester Medical Centre. (n.d.). A Guide to Common Medicinal Herbs. Retrieved from https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=1&contentid=1169
17. Villines, Z. (2018, July 27). CBD oil for anxiety: Research, benefits, and risks. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319622.php