A Comprehensive Review on Cannabis sativa Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Molecular Docking and Biological Activities

Abstract

For more than a century, Cannabis was considered a narcotic and has been banned by lawmakers all over the world. In recent years, interest in this plant has increased due to its therapeutic potential, in addition to a very interesting chemical composition, characterized by the presence of an atypical family of molecules known as phytocannabinoids. With this emerging interest, it is very important to take stock of what research has been conducted so far on the chemistry and biology of Cannabis sativa. The aim of this review is to describe the traditional uses, chemical composition and biological activities of different parts of this plant, as well as the molecular docking studies. Information was collected from electronic databases, namely SciFinder, ScienceDirect, PubMed and Web of Science. Cannabis is mainly popular for its recreational use, but it is also traditionally used as remedy for the treatment of several diseases, including diabetes, digestive, circulatory, genital, nervous, urinary, skin and respiratory diseases. These biological proprieties are mainly due to the presence of bioactive metabolites represented by more than 550 different molecules. Molecular docking simulations proved the presence of affinities between Cannabis compounds and several enzymes responsible for anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiepileptic and anticancer activities. Several biological activities have been evaluated on the metabolites of Cannabis sativa, and these works have shown the presence of antioxidant, antibacterial, anticoagulant, antifungal, anti-aflatoxigenic, insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, neuroprotective and dermocosmetic activities. This paper presents the up-to-date reported investigations and opens many reflections and further research perspectives.

Cannabidiol activates MAPK pathway to induce apoptosis, paraptosis, and autophagy in colorectal cancer cells

“…51 Cannabis has been used to treat epilepsy, 52 cholera, 53 and insomnia, 54 but its cultivation is currently banned in most countries. 55 However, due to its excellent pharmacological efficacy, several studies have shown that cannabis ingredients can cause addiction and mental deterioration. 56 A representative component that exhibits psychotropic activity is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).…”

“…Cannabis is an ancient cultivated fibrous plant native to Southeast and Central Asia and has medicinal and psychoactive properties 51 . Cannabis has been used to treat epilepsy, 52 cholera, 53 and insomnia, 54 but its cultivation is currently banned in most countries 55 . However, due to its excellent pharmacological efficacy, several studies have shown that cannabis ingredients can cause addiction and mental deterioration 56 .…”

Anxiety Modulation by Cannabinoids—The Role of Stress Responses and Coping

“…Such conflicting findings may be due to individual differences in cannabinoid receptor distribution or genetic poly-morphisms in humans, but it transpires that one major factor relates to the composition of cannabis preparations. In addition to ∆9-THC, cannabis contains a variety of cannabinoids and other psychoactive compounds, including cannabidiol (CBD) [150]. The latter does not share the psychotropic effects of ∆9-THC and has the opposite neural and behavioral effects [151].…”

Acute oral toxicity of Cannabis sativa L. co-products in mice

“…Hemp contains more than 500 chemical components, including cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenoids, alcohols, aldehydes, and alkaloids (Liktor-Busa et al, 2021). In adequate doses, all parts of the cannabis plant have therapeutic effects against several illnesses, such as pain, inflammation, and mental illnesses (Hourfane et al, 2023).…”