Is The "Woolly Umbrella" The New Cannabis?

A works that is totally unrelated tocannabishas been found to produce big number ofcannabinoids , the compound responsible for for the various pharmacological effects of mourning band . Known as the woolly umbrella ( sometimes spelled " addled " ) , the plant make several of the same molecules present in cannabis as well as dozens of previously unknown cannabinoids , some of which may havemedical properties .

Woolly umbrella – orHelichrysum umbraculigerum , to give it its right name – is a South African anthesis plant of the daisy class that is best known for smelling like curry . Historical sources hint at its use as an alcoholic drink in folk rituals and a study conducted decades ago indicated that it may contain cannabinoids , although until now researchers had never nail the structure of these compound .

After sequence the flora ’s genome and analyzing its chemical substance components , the authors of a new study were able to describe more than 40 cannabinoids in the leaves of the woolly umbrella . By comparing , cannabis produces well over 100 cannabinoids .

However , because cannabis - derived cannabinoids are find in the flora ’s flowers , the commercial production of these compounds requires intensive cultivation practices which amount at a high economical andenvironmental cost . In direct contrast , the study authors describe woolly umbrella as “ a perennial , fast - growing , commercially practicable flora author for bioactive cannabinoids . ”

And whileH. umbraculigerumdoesn’t produceTHCorCBD – the two most far-famed cannabinoids find in marihuana – it does manufacture big amount of money of CBG , a cannabinoid that has show promise as a treatment for neurological disorders , Aspinwall malignant neoplastic disease , and various other medical conditions .

According to the researchers , cannabinoid sign is “ projected to have therapeutic potential in almost all human diseases . ” For many patients , however , the psychotropic belongings of THC are unwanted , which intend medically relevant cannabinoids must be isolated from cannabis extracts .

The fact that the woolly umbrella does n’t make THC may therefore be an vantage and could allow for gentle access to CBG and other cannabinoids without having to vex about patient getting stoned .

" We have base a major new generator of cannabinoids and developed shaft for their sustained production , which can help explore their tremendous therapeutical electric potential , " excuse study author Dr Paula Berman in astatement . After identifying the enzyme involved in the creative activity of these cannabinoids , the researchers were able to modify brewer ’s yeast to produce the exact same chemical compound .

And while six of the cannabinoids identified in the woolly umbrella are also present in cannabis , the rest are whole new . " The next exciting step would be to determine the properties of the more than 30 young cannabinoids we ’ve discovered , and then to see what therapeutical uses they might have , " said Berman .

Curiously , scientists still do n’t to the full understand why plants bring out cannabinoids , although there is some grounds to suggest that they may aid to deter predators and could even act as a sort of instinctive sun blocker by protecting works from ultraviolet shaft of light .

" The fact that in the course of development two genetically unrelated plants independently developed the power to make cannabinoids propose that these compounds perform important ecological use , " explained sketch author Professor Asaph Aharoni .

" More research is needed to determine what these functions are . "

The study is release inNature plant .