Cannabis Sativa L. (Linnaeus) is a herbaceous species belonging to the Cannabaceae family . According to the prevailing opinion, there are two or more subspecies of Cannabis: Sativa, Indica, Ruderalis.
It is a photoperiodic plant with an annual cycle and is naturally dioecious (it has specimens with female flowers and others with male flowers). Monoecious varieties can be recreated for industrial purposes with particular reproduction techniques in protected and controlled environments.
Hemp is a tall, erect plant, whose development is influenced by climatic and environmental conditions. Some varieties can reach 5-6 meters in height . The root is a robust taproot while the stem is formed by an external bark (lime) and an internal part (hurd). The leaves of the plant are palmate-seven. Flowering occurs with anemophilous pollination (type of pollination that uses the wind as a means of dispersion even at distances of about 5 - 10 km). The pollen is contained in the male plant which, once released, enters senescence and ends its life cycle. The flower, of the female specimen, when ripe, is covered with glandular trichomes, which represent the main sites of accumulation of the active ingredients , cannabinoids and terpenes .
If the male specimens end their life cycle after pollination, the female plants, after fertilization, mature the seeds and are ready for harvesting about a month later. Thanks to the short vegetative cycle and considering the many existing varieties, the hemp plant can adapt to different climates even if the most favorable are the warm-humid ones of the temperate regions.
The hemp plant is an invaluable source of bioactive compounds with important nutraceutical and pharmacological properties . Inside the glandular trichomes of the female inflorescences, an oily resin is secreted and accumulated, consisting of secondary metabolites characteristic of this plant: cannabinoids and terpenes.
Essential oils ( formed by terpenes) are derived from the female inflorescences and apical leaves of the plant by steam distillation. The latter are used in the cosmetic industry for the production of soaps, perfumes and lavender.
The oil , used in the food sector , is obtained by cold pressing the seeds, and is naturally rich in essential fatty acids such as omega3 , omega6, omega9 , with strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties.
“Panis vitae, Cannabis protectio, Vinum laetitia”
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