Right Under Our Nose: Getting Back to the Root [Mass] of Cannabis
This was initially published in the 17th Issue of Terpenes & Testing Magazine published in 2019 and is being shared for educational purposes on this blog. Please cite as Bone, CB “Right Under Our Nose: Getting Back to the Root [Mass] of Cannabis” Terpenes & Testing, Sep./Oct 2019, Volume 3: Issue 17: pp. 22–25.
Not all terpenes are olfactory agents. While terpenoids have grown in popularity since the acceptance of plant entourage effects in the formulation of effective cannabinoid products, these products tend to overshadow other terpenes and plant compounds whose potential remains — as of yet — unexplored. Historically, all aspects of the cannabis plant were used in product formulation, while advocates like Jack Herer extolled the plant’s multitude of benefits, from sustainable energy to health and wellness. [1] Today, however, we tend to segment the different parts of the plant: stem, seeds, flower, and root into different product categories that span the spectrum from edibles to textiles, and in doing so, have lost out on understanding the plant in its entirety and the potential it has to offer. This article digs beneath the surface of current cannabinoid formulations to spark conversation about the cannabis root mass as a fertile area for research and development. Indeed, whether it is accessing new organic acids and triterpenes or creating more robust formulations, the benefit of considering the plant’s root mass cannot be understated.
Cannabis has been characterized as a plant with 1,001 useful compounds [2]. With progress to commercialize cannabinoids like cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), and tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) taking off alongside efforts to engineer harder-to-cultivate compounds like cannaflavins, we are indeed in the midst of a green rush. However, the increasing tendency to extract and isolate these compounds in product development, regulatory schemas, and our general discourse, is increasingly problematic. Underlying the efficacy of the cannabis plant is the synergy between these compounds or their ensemble, and obscenely high THC cannabis cultivars and CBD isolates distort natural ratios of compounds within the plant that have been forged over millennia for a perceived market edge. [3]
Some manufacturers have recently realized the value of terpenes, and have begun expanding their focus to include these compounds in their formulation. For example, firms such as Lucid Mood are pioneering new strategies with formulas that embrace the benefits of these terpenes, known as “Select Spectrum”, within the context of broader plant ensembles to create targeted effects. In a similar context to cannabinoids, various terpenes are isolated from one another and utilized indiscriminately in concentrates to create profiles that are not naturally occurring, such as limonene-spiked Lemon Hazes or linalool-saturated Sour Diesel. Consumers, however, often aren’t armed with this information (Editor’s Note: thank you NV; thank you PA) given the lack of regulatory standards surrounding the labeling of terpenes, resulting in a general lack of knowledge and data.
The tendency to isolate plant compounds through extraction and concentration methods speaks to an overarching mentality that seems to influence how manufacturers approach cultivation. The increasing dominance of concentrates within certain market sectors has bred an attitude that generally focuses on maximizing CBD/ THC yields. This belief uncritically looks at certain trends toward higher potency and hyper-individuation and seeks to meet them, as opposed to maintaining the development of hearty plants with true plant ensembles. It’s beyond certain that we have bred out of existence certain trace compounds whose benefits will now never be fully understood, and whose loss impacts our ability to ensure the perpetual development of genetically robust cultivars. [4]
Compounds that don’t offer an immediately stimulating response are those that are most at risk of continuing to disappear if our development trajectory persists, as these are the compounds whose potential value is hardest to realize. Additionally, the inability to see, smell, or sense a compound requires added testing and quality assurance methods, which seem impossible to imagine given the currently unresolved landscape of cannabis testing. While this dynamic points to the need to stop, assess, and coordinate growth going forward on a broader scale, it also necessitates innovation and thinking differently at a local level. Indeed, the market doesn’t need yet another CBD water or Gorilla Glue #14; it needs new, novel products that take advantage of the plant as a whole
We have barely scratched the surface of understanding the potential of this plant, literally speaking, insofar as there is a tendency to focus on visible parts of the plants for commercial processing. Indeed, it is within the resinous glands on the flower that most of the cannabinoid extracts are taken; hemp textile companies rely on fibers from the plant body; while dietary utilizations of the plant involve seed preparations. There is little application of the cannabis root mass in commercial products or research, despite historical applications of the root in medical formulas across cultures. [5] Understanding the role of the plant’s roots and their potential value in developing novel cannabis-based formulas reverses this trajectory by literally taking us back to our roots and encouraging us to engage with cannabis cultivation on a deeper level.
Historical applications of the root are as numerous as they are creative. From ropes and textiles to herbal medicines, cannabis has been cultivated for a variety of purposes across time. In relationship to the plant’s roots, there is evidence that the root was prepared in order to be used to treat everything from menstrual issues to STDs [6], while a more thorough review of existing research also points to novel applications for the cannabis compounds and formulas [7]. For example, cannabis sprouts are a rich source of cannaflavin-A and could be utilized in a dietary fashion much like other sprouts (think CannaMung Bean Sprout Salad), while whole plant smoothies and root teas are traditional consumption methods that certainly have a place in the contemporary functional beverage market. Much of this research is based on very simple preparations of the whole root in some desiccant-based salve or decoction and is a far cry from our current approach to processing cannabis flowers. Most interestingly, though, is how the cannabis root can potentially deliver effects comparable to flower-based formulas through different pharmacologic pathways. [8]
As most of the plant’s cannabinoids are not located within the roots, the fact that there are recorded medical applications utilizing the root is interesting as it complicates our understanding of the plant. Many of the root’s properties, including anti-inflammation and analgesia, are due to chemicals found in other plants and herbs. For example, Rock Pine is a flowering succulent-like plant found in the mountains of the Korean Peninsula that has high concentrations of many of the same components as the cannabis root, and a similar cultural legacy as a medicinal herb. Indeed, contemporary chromatographic analysis shows a shared number of flavonols, such as quercetin, and novel terpenoids, such as friedelin, which may aid in these plants’ anti-tumor and anti-spasmodic effects. [9, 10] Some of the other root compounds that are otherwise trace elements throughout the remainder of the plant are [11]:
Triterpenoids, particularly friedelin and epifriedlein, have demonstrated several medical properties from anti-pathogens in lab models and in vitro studies in addition to anti-carcinogenic effects in certain animal models.
Alkaloids, particularly cannabisativine and anhydrocannabisativine, have no current pharmacological value, but as a category, alkaloids have a diverse array of effects on human health. Sterols, such as sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol are a subgroup of steroids found in organic compounds and have reduced cholesterol levels in human trials.
Minor Terpenes, particularly carvone and dihydrocarvone, are otherwise found in caraway seeds and have a litany of culinary applications and medicinal value across cultures.
Lignans, are a particular group of polyphenols found in a multitude of plants with recognized health benefits including anti cardiovascular effects and bone health; however, the evidence indicates these effects are likely exerted in concert with other phytochemicals.
Ultimately, the long-term value of these products is largely unsettled. Identifying potential moieties with medical and industrial value will help us shift our paradigm towards understanding the plant’s total value, as opposed to just major cannabinoids. While we may find value in extracting and isolating various components of the plant, we still have much to learn about the entire plant. Understanding the more novel and less apparent aspects of the plant, like the benefits of cannabis root products, will help us round out our understanding of how cannabis works. Just as the root mass gathers nutrients and provides stability for a plants’ growth, the industry would benefit tremendously by taking all of what cannabis has to offer, and not just CBD or THC.
Many of these properties point to unique kinds of cannabis-based formulas for health and wellness, as well as potential avenues for amplifying the efficacy of existing treatments. More focused research is needed for the pharmacology of these particular compounds, as well as how different cultivars may produce different concentrations and synergies in the root mass. Additionally, processes for the standard extraction or synthesis of these chemicals are also crucial to give them commercial viability. Increased education on the history of cannabis root formulas, a thorough review of existing literature and user experiences, as well as expanded analytical examinations of the root, such as using chromatography, will help us get there. Indeed, in a similar way to how CBN was once considered by some manufacturers to be an industrial by-product of processing hemp flower with little value and has now begun to take center stage in certain product categories, one day we may be shaking our heads at no-till soil practices as wasteful.
References
[1] Herer, J. The Emperor Wears No Clothes. 1985, Van Nuys, CA: Ah Ha Publishing.
[2] Andre, C. et al. “Cannabis sativa: The Plant of the Thousand and One Molecules”, Frontiers in Plant Science, 2016, Volume 7: 19.
[3] Russo E. “The Case for the Entourage Effect and Conventional Breeding of Clinical Cannabis: No “Strain,” No Gain”, Frontiers in Plant Science, 2019, Volume 9: 1969.
[4] Russo E. and Marcu J. “Cannabis Pharmacology: The Usual Suspects and a Few Promising Leads”, Adv Pharmacol., 2017, Volume 80: 67-134.
[5] Brugnatelli, V. “Cannabis Roots: From Traditional Medicine to Modern Science.” Cannabis Roots: From Traditional Medicine to Modern Science | Project CBD, July 2018, Accessed July 29th, 2019.
[6] Russo, E. “Cannabis Treatments in Obstetrics and Gynecology: A Historical Review”, Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics, 2002, Volume 2(3-4): 5-35.
[7] Schwarz C. “Cannabis Roots”, JAMA, 1971, Volume 218(9): 1434–1435.
[8] Ryz, N. et al. “Cannabis roots: a traditional therapy with future potential for treating inflammation and pain.” Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 2017, Volume 2(1): 210-216.
[9] World Health Organization. Medicinal plants in the Republic of Korea: Information on 150 commonly used medicinal plants, 1988, Manila: World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Western Pacific.
[10] Multi-Targeted Approach to Treatment of Cancer, 2015, edited by Gandhi, V., Mehta, K., Grover, R., Pathak, S. Aggarwal, B., Springer International Publishing, Heidelberg.
[11] Elhendawya, M. et al. “Chemical and Biological Studies of Cannabis sativa Roots”, Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids, 2018, Volume 1:104–111.
