Historical Origin, and Botanical, Agronomic, and Therapeutic Properties of Medicinal Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.)

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) is genetically one of the most complex genera in the Cannabaceae family. The genus mostly comprises annual dioecious herbaceous plants probably native to Central and Southeast Asia. Cannabis has been used for centuries and has many applications beyond natural medicine and recreational drug use. Tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol are the most active compounds in cannabis due to their strong physiological effects. The psychoactive effect of cannabis is mainly linked to tetrahydrocannabinol, while cannabidiol is known for its wide range of therapeutic properties in the pharmaceutical industry. Although cannabis remains illegal in many parts of the world, the medicinal cannabis sector continues to grow as evidenced by the increasing number of countries allowing its use for certain medical indications, including several central nervous system disorders. Despite a long history of cultivation and use, cannabis has yet to achieve commensurate visibility among medicinal plants due to legal restrictions. The objective of this review article is to summarize scientific findings about cannabis to provide an increased understanding of its nutritional, industrial, and medicinal properties in an effort to facilitate the social acceptance of this precious plant source in Iran.