Cannabis has increasingly been recognized for its host of health benefits.
One such promising area in this line of research is the therapeutic potential that hemp essential oil possesses, particularly in regards to anti-tumor and antineuropathic pain actions.
This nascent field not only expands the reach of cannabis but also emphasizes the possibility for it to be a natural alternative to conventional medicine.
Composition of Hemp Essential Oil
Hemp essential oil is obtained from the steam distillation of hemp flowers and leaves, Cannabis sativa L.
This oil contains about a hundred different chemicals, including β-caryophyllene, β-caryophyllene oxide, and α-humulene.
Using advanced methods like GC-MS, (which stands for Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry), scientists can accurately identify these chemicals and learn about their possible effects.
β-Caryophyllene is a type of compound that connects specifically to CB2 receptors in the human body.
Again, this is not a surprise, because the CB2 receptors are located mainly within the immune system and so could prove essential in controlling inflammation and pain.
Along the same lines, the compounds of β-caryophyllene and α-humulene have also been tested for their anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities, further emphasizing the therapeutic potential of Hemp essential oil.
Anti-Tumor Properties of Hemp Essential Oil
The antitumor effects of hemp essential oil are especially compelling. Cancer is one of the main causes of mortality in the world, and more effective treatments are constantly being looked for by researchers.
Research has shown that hemp essential oil contains compounds inhibiting tumor growth and inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. Apoptosis stands for “programmed cell death,” which is an important mechanism for destroying the cancerous cells without harming surrounding healthy tissue.
Studies have shown that β-caryophyllene interferes with proliferative pathways left behind by cancer cells as they replicate. To this effect, hemp essential oil works in a manner that will slow down or completely bring to a halt the growth of such tumors.
This is of particular importance to those cancers resistant to traditional therapies, thus giving some hope of more effective treatment in the future.
Relieving Neuropathic Pain with the Help of Essential Oil of Hemp
Neuropathic pain is very difficult to treat because it results from damage to nerves. It is characterized by chronic pain that, in some cases, can be present at a level of disability and refractory to standard pain therapies.
Hemp essential oil, with its novel mechanism of action, is very promising. Where the traditional analgesics exert an action on general pain pathways, compounds in hemp essential oil interact with cannabinoid receptors directly intertwined with pain modulation.
β-Caryophyllene is responsible for the activation of CB2 receptors, which are key players in the reduction of inflammation and pain.
This makes hemp essential oil a very interesting substance for the management of neuropathic pain by acting on the cause and not on the symptoms of that kind of pains.
In addition to that, the anti-inflammatory property of hemp essential oil adds more to the tendency of its overall effectiveness over pain management.
Broader Implications and Future Directions
The potential of hemp essential oil stretches beyond their anti-tumor to anti-neuropathic pain properties. Other therapeutic applications of hemp essential oil cannot be ruled out, and some may surface as research unfolds.
Anti-inflammatory effects can render it effective in disorders like arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. Also, with accumulating evidence of safety and efficacy of hemp essential oil, there is bound to be an opening for the entry of hemp essential oil into mainstream medicine.
While results are promising, it is, however crucial to use hemp essential oil with care.
The makeup of these oil’s lesser-known chemicals makes it a subject that requires more research to understand the interactions it has with the human body.
Many diverse clinical trials must show the correct dosages, side effects, and a number of long-term benefits experienced with hemp oils.
The Future of Cannabis-Based Therapies
While the world explores the potential of cannabis for therapies, hemp essential oil represents one of the most versatile and powerful natural remedies.
The fact that hemp has the capacity to treat such complex conditions as cancer and neuropathic pain underlines a much more general role for cannabis in medicine in the future.
