An overview of the traditional applications, botanical features, chemical composition, and medicinal properties of Cannabis sativa L.

Abstract.

Medicinal plants have been one of the most important sources of medicine since the dawn of human civilization. Indigenous communities have used products from this plant in different conditions throughout documented history. Cannabis sativa L. is one of the most widely employed herbaceous medicinal plants for textiles and fibers, in medicine, as a source of food, animal food, animal bedding, and agriculture for seeds. This paper highlights the traditional applications, botany, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties of Cannabis sativa L. Extensive database retrieval, such as Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, PubMed, SciFinder, ChemSpider, CNKI, PubFacts, etc., was performed by using the keywords “Hemp,” “Cannabis,” as well as the scientific name of this plant species (Cannabis sativa L). Besides, reviews of relevant textbooks, documents, and patents were also employed to collect sufficient information. This study revealed numerous pharmacological activities of Cannabis sativa L. that could help with several medical diseases. Besides that, more than 565 bioactive constituents have been isolated and identified from diverse parts of Cannabis sativa L. This could help discover potential therapeutic effects and develop new medications to benefit human health.