Cannabis sativa: Industrial Hemp (fiber-type)- An emerging opportunity for India
- March 31, 2023
- Posted by: RSIS
- Categories: Botany and Microbiology, IJRSI
Cannabis sativa: Industrial Hemp (fiber-type)- An emerging opportunity for India
Ravindra B. Malabadi*1, Kiran P. Kolkar2, Raju K. Chalannavar1
1* Department of Applied Botany, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri-574199, Mangalore, Karnataka State, India
2Department of Botany, Karnatak Science College, Dharwad-580003, Karnataka State, India
*Corresponding author
Received: 22 February 2023; Accepted: 27 February 2023; Published: 27 March 2023
Abstract:-This literature review paper is presented as a part of the educational awareness about the Cannabis sativa, particularly the Industrial Hemp (fiber-type). Cannabis sativa was originally a native of India growing as a wild medicinal plant in the Himalayan region. The cultivation and use of Industrial hemp (fiber type) is historically rooted in the Indian subcontinent and this rich heritage of cannabis use dates back to at least two thousand years. Industrial hemp (fiber type) is a versatile commercial crop that has been used for fiber, food, medicinal purposes and building construction material, Hempcrete. Many studies have demonstrated that the nutrient and bioactive composition of hemp contributes to the prevention and treatment of several ailments suggesting its potential as a valuable functional food ingredient. Industrial hemp (fiber type) and medical Cannabis (marijuana type) have primarily been differentiated by their levels of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) production. Industrial hemp (fiber type) can be refined into a variety of commercial items, including paper, artificial hair, rope, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, paint, insulation, biofuel, food, and animal feed. This review sought to highlight these advances in understanding the medical, nutritional, and nutraceutical benefits of industrial hemp (fiber type).
Key words: Cannabis sativa, Cannabidiol (CBD), building material, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Omega-6 to Omega-3 PUFA. Illicit drug, Psychoactive, Medical cannabis (marijuana type), Industrial Cannabis (fiber type), Hempcrete.
I. Introduction
Industrial hemp (fiber type) belongs to the family, Cannabaceae is considered as one of the oldest plants cultivated to provide nutritional and medicinal benefits (1-25). Industrial hemp (fiber type) is typically a dioecious, obligate cross-pollinated species with a diploid genome (2n = 20), although monoecious types have been bred (1-24). It is genetically complex and therefore, as significant variability in phenotype and sex expression (1-10). The Industrial hemp (fiber type) samples were more heterogenous than medical Cannabis (marijuana or drug type), indicating the Industrial hemp (fiber type) samples came from a wide genome pool, whereas the medical Cannabis (marijuana type), samples had a relatively narrow genetic base (1-25). Industrial hemp (fiber type) and medical Cannabis (marijuana type) have primarily been differentiated by their levels of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) production (1-25). All industrial hemp (fiber or grain type) varieties contain Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Cannabidiol (CBD), and other cannabinoids, although the concentrations in some varieties are very low to non-detectable (1-25).
Its medicinal value was discovered in India as Ayurvedic medicine and cultivated as early as 900 BC (25). Cannabis sativa was originally a native of India growing as a wild medicinal plant in the Himalayan region of Nepal, Bhutan, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Burma (Mynamaar) (1-25). The history of cannabis use is rooted in the Asian subcontinent particularly India. The indigenous strain of Cannabis indica has been growing freely along the Himalayan foothills and adjacent plains of India for centuries (1-25). The cultivation and use of Industrial hemp (fiber type) is historically rooted in the Indian subcontinent and this rich heritage of cannabis use dates back to at least two thousand years (5-21). Industrial hemp (fiber type) can also be consumed as a Cannabis tea in remote villages of India (4-24). In remote area, the use of Cannabis sativa is totally depends on traditional knowledge, which transmitted through family traditions basically through oral conversations (1-25).
Cannabis sativa was used as a medicine before the Christian era in Asia, particularly in India and China (1-25). The medicinal use of Cannabis has a very long history. It has been used for the treatment of various diseases since the Vedic Period (1-25). It is well known for various forms of non-formal medical treatments (4-25). The medicinal value of Cannabis sativa includes intoxicant, analgesic, narcotic, stomachic, antispasmodic, anodyne, sedative (1-24). The Cannabis sativa leaves alone have ability to cure more than 25 diseases (1-21). Seeds are used to treat tumours and cancerous ulcers (1-25).
