Hemp: The Most Extaordinary Medicinal Plant

Hemp is an ancient medicinal and useful plant with considerable potential, but it also has its dark side, because it can cause psychosis in mentally unstable people. In this respect, it is the durian among plants. The Southeast Asian durian fruit is said to be terrific in terms of taste and nutritional content, but it spreads a penetrating odor around itself. The hemp, unlike the durian, however, can be freed from its stigma by distilling the psychoactive THC from the plant. The hemp plant is then dominated by the cannabidiol CBD, which is in many ways the antagonist of THC. When CBD is now on the market, the residual THC should only be between a harmless 0.3% and 0.7%.

The importance of CBD briefly explained

CBD is a cannabinoid from hemp and a main active ingredient of cannabis. However, unlike THC, CBD is not addictive. CBD oil contains vitamins such as B1, B2 and E, proteins, iron, magnesium, copper, calcium, sodium, zinc and phosphorus, as well as various minerals such as potassium. The traces of hemp as a component of human cultures can be traced back to over 5,000 years. In addition to its healing properties, hemp was of interest for the production of textiles, linen, paper and sailcloth. The basic building block for production was the fibers taken from the plant. Primitive peoples also used hemp as a stimulant in sacred ceremonies. As a result of the change in values associated with the 1968 movement and the search for alternative lifestyles, hemp became the focus of general interest as an accompaniment to raucous celebrations. This motivated researchers to take an in-depth look at the basic structure of the plant. In the 1970s, important secrets of hemp were finally revealed. Increasingly since the legalization of CBD in Switzerland in 2017, the question of how far hemp can be used for medicinal purposes without THC is also being discussed with interest in other countries. The ingestion of CBD is possible as a cigarette, e-cigarette (vaporizer), ointment, oil, chewing gum, shampoo, gummy bears, mouth spray and capsule. More information about the healing substance can be found on the blog CBD360. This is maintained by CBD enthusiast Cornelius de Luca, who aims to counteract the “ignorance, [the] ignorance and plain injustice on the part of authorities” towards CBD.

The medical background of CBD

CBD’s diverse mechanism of action is based on the fact that CBD docks at several receptor systems at once. This is also the background for the varying onset of action of CBD, which is almost immediate for certain processes and takes eight hours for others. Especially the influence on the endocannabinoid system (ECS), an important part of the human nervous system, leads to noticeable effects. Medical researchers found that CBD stimulates both CB type 1, which is directed at nerve cells, and CB type 2, which is directed at autoimmune cells. Among other things, the ECS regulates pain perception, the immune system, mood, various anxieties, sleep, appetite, as well as body temperature. Also of interest is CBD’s action as an antagonist of the receptor GPR55, which in turn is associated with the G protein. The receptor GPR55 was only identified by researchers in 2007 and is also a component of the ECS. According to current knowledge, the receptor participates in the regulation of inflammation, which additionally explains the anti-inflammatory effect of CBD. Moreover, it contributes to osteoclasts. These multinucleated giant cells arise from the bone marrow and impress with a multitude of mitochondria and lysosomes. Since osteoclasts ensure the stability of bones, based on these discoveries, there are interesting conceivable possibilities for the use of CBD against diseases of the bones of various kinds. In addition, CBD enhances the release of the nucleoside adenosine, which in turn blocks important neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine, which thus remain in greater concentration in the brain. Other bodily processes triggered by adenosine include the dilation of blood vessels to promote blood circulation, the regulation of heartbeat, the activation of the anti-inflammatory antagonist theophylline, and much more. Overall, physicians have discovered numerous interactions between CB1 with neurotransmitters and neuromodulators.Thus, in addition to the aforementioned neurotransmitters, CBD also promotes acetylcholine, GABA, glutamate, histamine, D-aspartate, cholecystokine, and glycine, meaning they are available to the body in greater concentrations.

Multimodal mechanism of action

Physicians and patients appreciate CBD’s multimodal mechanism of action, so CBD as a medicine continues to be the subject of medical research. So far, it is considered certain that CBD has anti-inflammatory, anti-epileptic, pain-relieving, antioxidant, cell-protective, anticonvulsant, and antihypertensive properties, so the number of conditions for which CBD could help is large. For example, the positive influence on the cells works against skin diseases such as acne and neurodermatitis, as well as cell death (cancer). By strengthening the nervous system, the use of CBD against various nerve diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, rheumatism, Crohn’s disease and fibromyalgia is also being discussed. The healing effects on the psyche are also enormous, as CBD has been able to help many people with anxiety, compulsions, restlessness, nervousness, sleep disorders, depression and even psychosis. It also strengthens cognitive processes and promotes the neuroplasticity of the brain. In addition, CBD is used as a dietary support due to its appetite suppressant effect. The above information is based on relevant studies and from the experience of customers who have found CBD to help with their ailments. As with other medications and supplements, CBD has varying effects on patients. In case of serious complaints, the use of CBD should be clarified by a doctor.

Directions for taking CBD

The dose of CBD depends on the nature of the complaint and the type of substance. As with other products, the individual offers differ greatly from each other in price and quality. First, the most important criterion is the proportion of CBD in the substrate, which varies from 3% to 30%. Products with a proportion of 10% are considered average, and products with around 20% CBD are already considered extraordinarily high quality. In addition, it is often not only the CBD alone that has an effect on the user. Often, other valuable ingredients are added to the preparations, which have a specific effect, but also, if put together by knowledgeable experts, can interact productively with each other and trigger synergistic effects. Examples of other valuable and typical ingredients of CBD products are the cannabinoids CBC, CBG and CBN, the terpenes caryophyllenes, humulene, linalool, limonene, myrcene and pynene as well as flavonoids. The overall side effect profile of CBD is favorable. Mild side effects may occur in the form of fatigue, drowsiness, and dry mouth, which in most cases disappear after regular use.