Cannabis Through Time – A Brief History of our Favorite Plant
The use of cannabis for its purported medicinal benefits has a rich history dating back millennia. Originating in central Asia or western China, cannabis was first documented in Emperor Shen Nung’s pharmacopoeia around 2800 BC. Throughout history, various cultures including the Indian Hindus, Assyrians, Greeks, and Romans utilized cannabis to treat an extensive range of health issues such as arthritis, depression, inflammation, pain, and lack of appetite.
“Its seed is said to make the genitals impotent. The juice from it drives out of the ears the worms and any other creature that has entered them, but at the cost of a headache; so potent is its nature that when poured into water it is said to make it coagulate. And so, drunk in its water, it regulates the bowels of beasts of burden. The root boiled in water eases cramped joints, gout too and similar violent pains. It is applied to raw burns, but is often changed before it gets dry.”
Legend has it that the Hindu deity Shiva was dubbed ‘The Lord of Bhang’ due to his affinity for the cannabis plant, believed to be his favored food. Ancient Hindu texts attributed the medicinal properties of cannabis to its appeasement of the gods, including Shiva, thereby reducing ailments like fever. However, modern scientific research suggests that THC, a compound in cannabis, acts on the hypothalamus to lower body temperature.
In the timeline of cannabis and cannabinoid research, notable events include William Brooke O’Shaughnessy introducing cannabis to Western medicine in 1841, and the isolation of THC by Mechoulam in 1964. The demonization of cannabis in the 20th century led to its taxation and eventual restriction in the USA with the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. Despite this, breakthroughs continued, such as the discovery of CB1 receptors in the rat brain by Howlett in 1988.
The medical potential of cannabis gained recognition with the legalization of medical cannabis in California in 1996 and the discovery of endocannabinoids like anandamide and 2-AG in the early 1990s. Subsequent research revealed the activation of TRPV1 receptors by endocannabinoids and the potential of CBD to alleviate schizophrenia symptoms, among other findings. Australia followed suit in 2016 by legalizing medical cannabis, while CBD’s efficacy in reducing seizures in childhood epilepsy was demonstrated in a 2017 trial.
“A Source of Intrigue From the Beginning”
Pliny the Elder, an ancient Roman naturalist, documented various uses of cannabis in his writings, highlighting its diverse applications from impeding genital function to treating joint pain and burns. Throughout history, cannabis has remained a subject of intrigue and research, with its potential therapeutic benefits continuing to be explored in contemporary medicine.