ABSTRACT
Global warming as a result of climate change has become a major concern for people all over the world. It has recently drawn the attention of the entire conscious community, with the fear that if not addressed properly, it will result in the extinction of numerous species around the world. At the same time, it will pose a threat to human health, food security, living environment and standard of living. Thereby, possible solutions are being explored accordingly; regulations have been imposed in places binding green production practices, limiting the emission of CO2 and emphasis is given on renewable resources along with the search for alternatives to carbon-positive materials. Cannabis sativa L. (hemp) has received a lot of attention because of its multipurpose usability, short production cycle, low capital demand in cultivation, possibility of carbon-negative transformation and easy carbon sequestering material. This paper reviews hemp as a very promising renewable resource including its potential uses in paper, textiles, composites, biofuel, and food industry.
ABSTRACT
Antimicrobial resistance has emerged as a global health crisis and, therefore, new drug discovery is a paramount need. Cannabis sativa contains hundreds of chemical constituents produced by secondary metabolism, exerting outstanding antimicrobial, antiviral, and therapeutic properties. This paper comprehensively reviews the antimicrobial and antiviral (particularly against SARS-CoV-2) properties of C. sativa with the potential for new antibiotic drug and/or natural antimicrobial agents for industrial or agricultural use, and their therapeutic potential against the newly emerged coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Cannabis compounds have good potential as drug candidates for new antibiotics, even for some of the WHO's current priority list of resistant pathogens. Recent studies revealed that cannabinoids seem to have stable conformations with the binding pocket of the Mpro enzyme of SARS-CoV-2, which has a pivotal role in viral replication and transcription. They are found to be suppressive of viral entry and viral activation by downregulating the ACE2 receptor and TMPRSS2 enzymes in the host cellular system. The therapeutic potential of cannabinoids as anti-inflammatory compounds is hypothesized for the treatment of COVID-19. However, more systemic investigations are warranted to establish the best efficacy and their toxic effects, followed by preclinical trials on a large number of participants.
