Abstract
Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L., Cannabaceae) is an ancient cultivated plant originating from Central Asia and historically has been a multi-use crop valued for its fiber, food, and medicinal uses. Various oriental and Asian cultures kept records of its production and numerous uses. Due to the similarities between industrial hemp (fiber and grain) and the narcotic/medical type of Cannabis, the production of industrial hemp was prohibited in most countries, wiping out centuries of learning and genetic resources. In the past two decades, most countries have legalized industrial hemp production, prompting a significant amount of research on the health benefits of hemp and hemp products. Current research is yet to verify the various health claims of the numerous commercially available hemp products. Hence, this review aims to compile recent advances in the science of industrial hemp, with respect to its use as value-added functional food ingredients/nutraceuticals and health benefits, while also highlighting gaps in our current knowledge and avenues of future research on this high-value multi-use plant for the global food chain.
Highlights
Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L., Cannabaceae) is a versatile herbaceous crop that has been used for fiber, food, and medicinal purposes [1,2]
C. indica genetic pools, these results suggest that the genetic lineage analysis did not conform to the currently recognized classification, and we may have to revisit the taxonomy of these species to better reflect new genetic information coming to light
Studied the transcriptome of female flowers from hemp and medical Cannabis, concluding that there was an up-regulation in the entire THC production pathway in medical Cannabis compared to hemp
Summary
Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L., Cannabaceae) is a versatile herbaceous crop that has been used for fiber, food, and medicinal purposes [1,2]. A multitude of products has been derived from the seeds, fiber, and wooden core of the hemp plant [5]. As a multi-use crop, hemp is considered one of the oldest plants cultivated to provide nutritional and medicinal benefits [2,6]. Properties of hemp have been used to aid in treating and preventing ailments for thousands of years in traditional oriental medicine [3,4]. The interest in investigating the potential use of industrial hemp in food and nutraceuticals has been growing (Figure 1)
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