Cannabis is indigenous to Europe and cultivation began during the Copper or Bronze age: a probabilistic synthesis of fossil pollen studies John M. McPartland · Geoffrey W. Guy · William Hegman Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2018, 27, 635–648 Doi : 10.1007/s00334-018-0678-7 Abstract Conventional wisdom states Cannabis sativa originated in Asia and its dispersal to Europe depended upon human transport. Various Neolithic or Bronze age groups have been named as pioneer cultivators. These theses were tested by examining fossil pollen studies (FPSs), obtained from the European Pollen Database. Many FPSs report Cannabis or Humulus (C/H) with collective names (e.g. Cannabis/Humulus or Cannabaceae). To dissect these aggregate [...]
Lire la suiteChemical and Morphological Phenotypes in Breeding of Cannabis sativa L. Gianpaolo Grassi and John M. McPartland in S. Chandra et al. (eds.), Cannabis sativa L. - Botany and Biotechnology, Chapter 6, 2017, 137-160. Doi : 10.1007/978-3-319-54564-6_6 Abstract This chapter has two parts. The first part details five characters that contribute to phenotypic diversity in Cannabis. Cannabinoids can be assayed by quantity (dry weight percentage of cannabinoids in harvested material) or by quality (the THC/CBD ratio, or chemotype). Cannabinoid quality is largely genetic, possibly monogenic. We dissect the monogenic inheritance model (two alleles at a single gene locus). Essential oil is composed of volatile, aromatic terpenoids. [...]
Lire la suiteThe Cannabis sativa Versus Cannabis indica Debate : An Interview with Ethan Russo, MD Daniele Piomelli and Ethan B. Russo Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 2016, Volume 1.1, 44-46. Doi : 10.1089/can.2015.29003.ebr Dr. Ethan Russo, MD, is a board-certified neurologist, psychopharmacology researcher, and Medical Director of PHYTECS, a biotechnology company researching and developing innovative approaches targeting the human endocannabinoid system. Previously, from 2003 to 2014, he served as Senior Medical Advisor and study physician to GW Pharmaceuticals for three Phase III clinical trials of Sativex for alleviation of cancer pain unresponsive to optimized opioid treatment and studies of Epidiolex for intractable epilepsy. He has held [...]
Lire la suiteThe Case for the Entourage Effect and Conventional Breeding of Clinical Cannabis: No “Strain,” No Gain Ethan B. Russo Frontiers in Plant Science, 2019, Volume 9, Article 1969, 1-8. Doi : 10.3389/fpls.2018.01969 The topic of Cannabis curries controversy in every sphere of influence, whether politics, pharmacology, applied therapeutics or even botanical taxonomy. Debate as to the speciation of Cannabis, or a lack thereof, has swirled for more than 250 years. Because all Cannabis types are eminently capable of cross-breeding to produce fertile progeny, it is unlikely that any clear winner will emerge between the “lumpers” vs. “splitters” in this taxonomical debate. This is compounded [...]
Lire la suiteContaminants of Concern in Cannabis : Microbes, Heavy Metals and Pesticides John M. McPartland and Kevin J. McKernan in S. Chandra et al. (eds.), Cannabis sativa L. - Botany and Biotechnology, Chapter 22, 2017, 457-474. Doi : 10.1007/978-3-319-54564-6_22 Abstract Microbiological contaminants pose a potential threat to cannabis consumers. Bacteria and fungi may cause opportunistic infections in immuno-compromized individuals. Even dead organisms may trigger allergies and asthma. Toxins from microbial overloads, such as Shigla toxin and aflatoxins, may pose a problem—unlikely, but possible. The Cannabis plant hosts a robust microbiome; the identification of these organisms is underway. Cannabis bioaccumulates heavy metals in its tissues, so avidly [...]
Lire la suiteThe Genetic Structure of Marijuana and Hemp Jason Sawler, Jake M. Stout, Kyle M. Gardner, Darryl Hudson, John Vidmar, Laura Butler, Jonathan E. Page, Sean Myles PLoS ONE, 2015, 10, (8), e0133292. doi : 10.1371/journal.pone.0133292 Abstract Despite its cultivation as a source of food, fibre and medicine, and its global status as the most used illicit drug, the genus Cannabis has an inconclusive taxonomic organization and evolutionary history. Drug types of Cannabis (marijuana), which contain high amounts of the psychoactive cannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are used for medical purposes and as a recreational drug. Hemp types are grown for the production of seed and fibre, and contain [...]
Lire la suiteCannabis sativa research trends, challenges, and new-age perspectives, Tajammul Hussain et al., 2021
Cannabis sativa research trends, challenges, and new-age perspectives Tajammul Hussain, Ganga Jeena, Thanet Pitakbut, Nikolay Vasilev, and Oliver Kayser iScience, Cell Press, 2021,24, 103391, 1-13. Doi : 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103391 SUMMARY Cannabis sativa L. has been one of the oldest medicinal plants cultivated for 10,000 years for several agricultural and industrial applications. However, the plant became controversial owing to some psychoactive components that have adverse effects on human health. In this review, we analyzed the trends in cannabis research for the past two centuries. We discussed the historical transitions of cannabis from the category of herbal medicine to an illicit drug and back to a medicinal product post-legalization. [...]
Lire la suiteCannabis Domestication, Breeding History, Present-day Genetic Diversity, and Future Prospects Robert C. Clarke and Mark D. Merlin CRITICAL REVIEWS IN PLANT SCIENCES, 2016, VOL. 35, NOS. 5–6, 293–327 Doi : 10.1080/07352689.2016.1267498 ABSTRACT Humans and the Cannabis plant share an intimate history spanning millennia. Humans spread Cannabis from its Eurasian homelands throughout much of the world, and, in concert with local climatic and human cultural parameters, created traditional landrace varieties (cultivars resulting from a combination of natural and farmer selection) with few apparent signs of domestication. Cannabis breeders combined populations from widely divergent geographical regions and gene pools to develop economically valuable fiber, seed, and drug cultivars, [...]
Lire la suiteGenomic and Chemical Diversity in Cannabis Ryan C. Lyncha,e, Daniela Vergaraa, Silas Tittesa, Kristin Whitea, C. J. Schwartzb, Matthew J. Gibbsb, Travis C. Ruthenburgc,d, Kymron deCesarec, Donald P. Landc, and Nolan C. Kanea CRITICAL REVIEWS IN PLANT SCIENCES, 2016, VOL. 35, NOS. 5–6, 349–363 Doi : 10.1080/07352689.2016.1265363 ABSTRACT Plants of the Cannabis genus are the only prolific producers of phytocannabinoids, compounds that strongly interact with the evolutionarily ancient endocannabinoid receptors shared by most bilaterian taxa. For millennia, the plant has been cultivated not only for these compounds, but also for food, rope, paper, and clothing. Today, specialized varieties yielding high-quality textile fibers, nutritional seed oil, or high cannabinoid [...]
Lire la suiteWhole-plant Cannabis Linked to Large Reduction in Seizures Kelli Whitlock Burton Medscape - Dec 29, 2021. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/965756 Whole-plant cannabis is linked to a significant reduction in seizures in children with severe treatment-resistant epilepsy, early research suggests. In a small case series, children with severe treatment-resistant epilepsy treated with a range of whole-plant extract cannabis-based medical products (CBMPs) reported an 86% reduction in monthly seizures. All participants had no improvement with traditional antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). The study adds to a small but growing body of research investigating whole-plant cannabis medicines containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in pediatric epilepsies. Rayyan Raja Zafar "Although we have previously noted the superior efficacy of whole-plant medical cannabis is a previous [...]
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