Cannabis: A Medicinal Plant from Ancient Times
Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History,
Vol. 17 (1404),
6 May 2025
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v17i1.46631
Abstract
Background and Aim: Cannabis is one of the oldest and most controversial medicinal plants, described as a therapeutic herb in almost all ancient texts. The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes dates back several thousand years. Moreover, in the sacred texts of several Asian countries, including India and Iran, cannabis has been revered as a holy plant, utilized in religious rituals for centuries. This study aims to explore cannabis as a medicinal herb, from the earliest human civilizations to its applications in modern medicine.
Methods: To gather information, English articles were searched using the keywords "cannabis" and "cannabinoids" in international databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus and ScienceDirect. Additionally, relevant traditional medicine texts, such as "Al-Qanun", "Al-Hawi fi al-Tib", "Jamia al-Mufradat al-Adwiya wa al-Aghdhia", "Kamil al-Sina'a al-Tibbiyya", "Qamus al-Muhit", "Mufradat fi al-Tib" and "Zakhireh Kharazmshahi", were reviewed using keywords such as cannabis, Shahdanj and Qunnab.
Ethical Considerations: In this research, the integrity of source citation, originality and accuracy of sources, precision in referencing and analysis, as well as the avoidance of bias, have been observed.
Results: Findings from historical, phytochemical and ethnobotanical studies reveal that early human societies were aware of cannabis’s properties and utilized it not only as medicine but also for non-medicinal purposes. Due to its widespread distribution and high adaptability to diverse geographical regions, the plant quickly spread from Asia to other continents. The medicinal use of various parts of cannabis in treating a broad spectrum of ailments, including skin, neurological, gastrointestinal and other disorders, has long been prevalent in countries such as Iran, Egypt, China, India and many European nations. The golden age of cannabis began in the early 20th century with the isolation of its phytochemical compounds. To date, over 100 phytocannabinoids, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), to which cannabis’s therapeutic effects are attributed, have been identified. Cannabis has a broad range of therapeutic effects. It is used to treat various conditions such as pain, nausea and vomiting, epilepsy, skin disorders, glaucoma, anxiety, sleep disorders, anorexia, as well as neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Conclusion: The valuable historical legacy of cannabis’s millennia-long medicinal use can be considered as a robust foundation for future research into its therapeutic potential, supported by clinical evidence. It is hoped that more drugs with diverse therapeutic applications will enter the global pharmaceutical market. However, it is noteworthy that even after decades of research, significant disagreements persist regarding the legal implications, ethical concerns, side effects and mortality associated with cannabis use. These complexities underscore the fundamental challenges in harnessing phytocannabinoids as therapeutic drugs.
- Cannabidiol
- Historical Perspective
- Traditional Medicine
- Hemp
How to Cite
References
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