Medicinal plants, more commonly known as medicinal herbs, were discovered and utilized in alternative medical practices since prehistoric times. These plants synthesize hundreds of different chemical substances for various purposes, such as protection from infections, diseases, fungi, and carnivorous mammals. The earliest medicinal herbs were thought to be used by Stone Age people to treat snakebites and wounds. It is possible that medicinal herbs helped to improve the nutritional quality of food eaten by prehistoric man.
Throughout most of human history, medicinal plants and their products were relied upon for the treatment of many common illnesses and diseases. Archaeological evidence shows that ancient peoples used medicinal herbs for the treatment of stone age ailments. During the Middle Ages, quinine, a strong antiseptic, was prescribed frequently to cure fevers. Over the years, quinine’s effectiveness was improved and it became essential for the treatment of malaria.
Currently, the United Kingdom and several European countries have legalized the therapeutic use of medicinal cannabis. Although cannabis is considered a dangerous drug by most of the world’s governments, including those of the United States and the United Kingdom, some countries such as Australia and Spain allow the personal use of medicinal cannabis. The therapeutic potential of this plant has resulted in the development of a special access scheme in the UK that allows patients with certain types of cancer to access the drugs via a medicinal cannabis treatment. In July 2021, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health reported that “many experts…believe that using marijuana…is not necessarily dangerous…” However, the committee was unable to find any evidence to support this adaptogens.
Two major issues are currently being debated within the United Kingdom on the medicinal aspect of cannabis: regulation and restriction. Proponents of legalisation argue that restricting access to cannabis will prevent individuals from having easy access to this highly potent plant which they believe has strong medicinal properties. According to these supporters, cannabis users should be able to legally access the plant so that they can be able to enjoy its health benefits. The Conservative party, however, want to see strict regulation before any changes are made to the current law.
The United Kingdom’s National Institute for Clinical Evidence (NICE) believes that there is no medical evidence to support the medicinal use of cannabis. The Institute believes that there is only limited evidence that cannabis is useful in treating certain medical conditions. It also believes that the majority of the current therapeutic claims for the use of cannabis are based on anecdotal reports and theory rather than rigorous, scientific study. The government has recently announced plans to regulate and control the production and supply of two main compounds in cannabis: THC and CBD. The two chemicals are believed to interact with each other and produce different side effects. These include but are not limited to the following: hallucinations; anxiety; sedation; anorexia; and respiratory arrest.
The two medicinal types of cannabis are also thought to differ in dosage and potency. Research on these two plants has shown that some strains of cannabis are more potent than others. Some research even suggests that medical marijuana is a better treatment method than pharmaceutical drugs that are based on synthetic chemicals. Some strains of cannabis are also said to have fewer side effects than medicinal cannabis strains.
It is unclear as to why medicinal cannabis is more potent and some strains are milder than others. Some researchers think that the reason medicinal marijuana is more potent and has fewer side effects is because it contains lesser amounts of THC, the compound in cannabis that produces the drug’s active ingredient. The smaller amount of THC means that it can be more potent and cause fewer side effects.
Some medicinal cannabis strains differ in how much CBD they contain compared to other strains. Some strains differ based on where the plants grow primarily. Some medicinal strains differ in their boiling times because some strains are easier to boil than others.