History

The article "PhytoCannabinoid Therapeutics: A Historical Perspective" takes the reader on a journey through the historical uses of medicinal cannabis extracts, highlighting the vast medical applications of cannabis extracts from many civilizations. The Ebers Papyrus, dated back to 1550 BC, records the use of cannabis in obstetrics, stating that it was ground in honey and introduced into the vagina to cool the uterus and eliminate its heat, suggesting its anti-inflammatory properties. The Berlin Papyrus, from 300 BC, prescribes cannabis as an ointment to prepare for driving away fever and as a suppository.

The article discusses the Holy Anointing Oil recipe from around 800 BC, containing large amounts of cannabis or Kaneh Bosm, which was applied topically by Jesus and his followers to fight epilepsy, skin diseases, eye, and menstrual problems. Greek historian Herodotus wrote about Scythian ‘vapor hotbox’ rituals around 450 BCE, where cannabis seeds were thrown on glowing stones to emit dense smoke and fumes, providing a vapour-bath experience much more intense than any in Greece.

The legendary Chinese emperor Shen Nung (Pen Ts’ao, 2800 BCE) may well be a legend in Chinese folklore, but the recent archaeological discovery of “789 grams of dried cannabis ... buried alongside a light-haired, blue-eyed Caucasian man, likely a shaman of the Gushi culture, near Turpan in northwestern China ” adds credence to the legend. Physicians in China, who boasted the earliest advancements in cannabis/hemp production, prescribed cannabis mixed with wine as an analgesic during surgical procedures.

The Taoist encyclopedia Wushang Biyao ("Supreme Secret Essentials"), from 570 CE, recorded adding cannabis into ritual censers. In the earliest known compendium of pharmacology in Arabic (9th Century), cannabis juice extract from the flowers and seeds was administered through the nostril to treat migraine, aching pains, including uterine, and to prevent miscarriage. During the same period, the renowned physician and scientist Al-Kindi gave the first report of its muscle relaxant properties in relation to what was known as ‘the trembling.’

One of the first great English botanists, John Parkinson, writes in 1640 that cannabis roots in a poultice are effective for treating tumors and other inflammations. Cannabis was successfully used to treat cholera, tetanus, and bubonic plague in the past. Queen Victoria's personal physician, Sir Russell Reynolds, prescribed Cannabis for her menstrual cramps in 1890, stating that cannabis, "When pure and administered carefully, is one of the most valuable medicines we possess."

In 1964, THC was first isolated in its pure form by Israeli scientists Raphael Mechoulam, Yechiel Gaoni, and colleagues at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 1988, the DEA's Judge Francis Young concluded that cannabis has a "currently accepted medical use" and should be reclassified under federal law. Overall, the article provides an enlightening perspective on the vast historical use of cannabis extracts in medicine across different civilizations and their potential applications in modern medicine.