Hemp
Hemp (lat. Cannabis) is a plant genus within the hemp family and is one of the oldest useful and ornamental plants on earth. The plant probably originated in Kazakhstan in Central Asia. Grave finds in China prove the use of cannabis already over 2000 years before Christ, in Germany the oldest finds date even to approx. 5000 years before Christ.
In different cultures, the individual components of the cannabis plant (fibers, seeds, leaves, flowers) were used over thousands of years to make various products such as ropes, clothing, edible oils and essential oils. TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) writings reported the use of cannabis as a medicinal plant against numerous ailments, including rheumatism and malaria, about 2000 years ago.
Today, cannabis is found as a cultivated and wild plant almost worldwide in temperate to subtropical zones.
Recently, cannabis has also gained importance in medicine and is being intensively researched. The medical use of cannabis is the subject of numerous studies, some of which even point to a possible medicinal potential in certain forms of cancer.
The reason for this is the plant's constituents, the so-called phytocannabinoids. The cannabis plant contains over 100 of these cannabinoids, which are not found in any other plant. Research into cannabinoids led to the discovery of the human endocannabinoid system; endocannabinoids are endogenous substances with pharmacological effects.
Some of the cannabis phytocannabinoids are thus thought to have pharmacological effects, most notably the cannabinoids "THC" (Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol) and "CBD" (cannabidiol).
THC is responsible for the intoxicating effect of cannabis and is therefore considered a narcotic in Germany. The medical use of cannabis containing THC as a medicine has already been permitted in Germany since May 2011. Since March 2017, doctors have also been able to prescribe cannabis flowers and cannabis extracts.
CBD, on the other hand, has no intoxicating effect; in the literature, CBD is attributed with the following effects, among others: pain relieving, decramping, anti-inflammatory, nausea and vomiting inhibiting. Medical CBD as a pure substance is a prescription drug, which is used for the production of medicines for the therapy of e.g. epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.
Because of its many positive properties, CBD is also used in numerous everyday products (e.g. cosmetics, e-liquids, globules, chewing gum, etc.).
In different cultures, the individual components of the cannabis plant (fibers, seeds, leaves, flowers) were used over thousands of years to make various products such as ropes, clothing, edible oils and essential oils. TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) writings reported the use of cannabis as a medicinal plant against numerous ailments, including rheumatism and malaria, about 2000 years ago.
Today, cannabis is found as a cultivated and wild plant almost worldwide in temperate to subtropical zones.
Recently, cannabis has also gained importance in medicine and is being intensively researched. The medical use of cannabis is the subject of numerous studies, some of which even point to a possible medicinal potential in certain forms of cancer.
The reason for this is the plant's constituents, the so-called phytocannabinoids. The cannabis plant contains over 100 of these cannabinoids, which are not found in any other plant. Research into cannabinoids led to the discovery of the human endocannabinoid system; endocannabinoids are endogenous substances with pharmacological effects.
Some of the cannabis phytocannabinoids are thus thought to have pharmacological effects, most notably the cannabinoids "THC" (Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol) and "CBD" (cannabidiol).
THC is responsible for the intoxicating effect of cannabis and is therefore considered a narcotic in Germany. The medical use of cannabis containing THC as a medicine has already been permitted in Germany since May 2011. Since March 2017, doctors have also been able to prescribe cannabis flowers and cannabis extracts.
CBD, on the other hand, has no intoxicating effect; in the literature, CBD is attributed with the following effects, among others: pain relieving, decramping, anti-inflammatory, nausea and vomiting inhibiting. Medical CBD as a pure substance is a prescription drug, which is used for the production of medicines for the therapy of e.g. epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.
Because of its many positive properties, CBD is also used in numerous everyday products (e.g. cosmetics, e-liquids, globules, chewing gum, etc.).