Read on to find out more about this amazing plant!
Today we are going to discuss the question, “What is marijuana?”
Marijuana is actually a plant but it is a plant that is truly an amazing medicine. This should come as no surprise because many medicines are derived from plants. Aspirin, for example, which is used in the treatment of cardiac and stroke patients, comes from a plant. The scientific name for marijuana is cannabis. There are three different kinds of cannabis- sativa, indica and ruderalis. Cannabis is thought to have originated in Central Asia around 12,000 BC. It was known to be used as a medicine in ancient Egypt. In more recent history it was used in the United States for its medicinal properties in the 19th and early 20th century.
What is in this amazing plant?
There are approximately 500 active molecules in marijuana. There are 144 cannabinoids. THC and CBD are the most commonly known but they are just the tip of the iceberg. There are also other cannabinoids such as CBC and THC-V. THC acid and CBD acid are found in the raw form of the plant before heating it. There are also 200 terpenes which are the molecules that give cannabis its distinctive smell. One terpene is called limonene which is found in lemons as well and gives lemons their beautiful smell. In addition there are many flavonoids in marijuana. Flavonoids, which are also found in some fruits and vegetables, are known for their antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties.
You can see that marijuana is an amazing plant and an amazing medicine!
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