A comparative phytochemical profiling of essential oils isolated from three hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivars grown in central-northern Morocco

Research Progress on Cannabinoids in Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) in China

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) is an ancient cultivated plant that contains less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It is widely utilized at home and abroad and is an economic crop with great development and utilization value. There are 31 countries legalizing industrial cannabis cultivation. Cannabis fiber has been used for textile production in China for 6000 years. China is the largest producer and exporter of cannabis. China may still play a leading role in the production of cannabis fiber. China has a long history of cannabis cultivation and rich germplasm resources. Yunnan, Heilongjiang, and Jilin are three Chinese provinces where industrial cannabis can be grown legally. Cannabinoids are terpenoid phenolic compounds produced during the growth, and which development of cannabis and are found in the glandular hairs of female flowers at anthesis. They are the active chemical components in the cannabis plant and the main components of cannabis that exert pharmacological activity. At the same time, research in China on the use of cannabis in the food industry has shown that industrial cannabis oil contains 13-20% oleic acid, 40-60% omega-6 linoleic acid, and 15-30% omega-3 α-linolenic acid. At present, more than 100 cannabinoids have been identified and analyzed in China, among which phenolic compounds are the main research objects. For instance, phenolic substances represented by cannabidiol (CBD) have rich pharmacological effects. There are still relatively little research on cannabinoids, and a comprehensive introduction to research progress in this area is needed. This paper reviews domestic and foreign research progress on cannabinoids in cannabis sativa, which is expected to support cannabis-related research and development.

Combined Effects of Domestication and Extraction Technique on Essential Oil Yield, Chemical Profiling, and Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.)

We aimed at comparing the effects of domestication and extraction technique on the chemical profiling and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Rosmarinus officinalis essential oil (ROEO). This was isolated from wild (WR) and cultivated rosemary (CR) using microwave-assisted extraction (ME) and Clevenger hydrodistillation (CH). Domestication was the main variability source in ROEO constituents, while yield was equally determined by domestication and extraction techniques. Our results revealed important variations, owing to domestication and isolation technique, in terms of ROEO yield (1.10–2.85%), major compounds: α-pinene (14.07–42.03%), camphene (2.26–8.19%), β-pinene (0.35–3.76%), α-terpinene (0.55–2.92%), p-cymene (1.22–4.18%), limonene (0.64–2.79%), 1,8-cineole (31.73–40.72%), β-myrcene (2.09–3.2%), linalool (0.22–1.94%), camphor (12.12–19.66%), borneol (0.53–1.67%), and α-terpineol (1.46–7.45%) as well as minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC, 6.17–15.50 μg/mL), and antioxidant activity (IC50, 2.61–8.58 mg/mL). WR performed better in terms of yield, limonene, cineole, camphor, MIC, and IC50, while the remaining compounds were better expressed in CR. ME displayed high records of ROEO traits except for limonene, camphor, and verbenone (better expressed in CH). Principal component analysis confirmed the obtained findings via the separation of WR, CR, and techniques through the first two components (over 93% of data variability). In conclusion, R. officinalis domestication results in differentiated effects on ROEO traits, fostering a better accumulation of some compounds but reducing yield of other compounds and therefore antioxidant along with antimicrobial activity. ME could be recommended as a green method for ROEO isolation since it was more efficient in terms of the investigated ROEO traits.

Physical Fruit Traits, Proximate Composition, Antioxidant Activity, and Profiling of Fatty Acids and Minerals of Wild Jujube (Ziziphus lotus L. (Desf.)) Fruits from Eleven Moroccan Origins

This study aimed at investigating the effects of geographical origin on physical fruit traits, proximate composition, fatty acid, and elemental profiling of Moroccan wild jujube (Ziziphus lotus) fruits. Likewise, solvent effects on total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), tannin content, and antioxidant activity were also studied. Fruits were sampled from eleven sites where the species grows widely across Morocco (Tafraoute, Taroudant, Zagora, Rhamna, Beni Mellal, Zaouit Cheikh, Khenifra, B-Jaad, Lkhmissat, Sidi Hrazm, and Taounat). Physical fruit traits (length, width, and weight), proximate composition, and minerals were investigated. Fatty acid profiling of extracted oil was also evaluated. TPC and TFC as well as antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP) were determined on four different extracts, namely, ethanol extract (EE), methanol extract (ME), acetone extract (AE), and water extract (WE). Our outcomes revealed significant differences ( $p<0.05$ ) among different origins for the measured fruit traits including ash (1.69–2.31%), moisture (2.56–5.69%), proteins (2.63–4.64%), oil (1.59–2.91%) and carbohydrates (86.82–89.20%). The most abundant minerals were K (548.93–828.44 mg/100 g) and Ca (137.50–211.78 mg/100 g). Major fatty acids were oleic acid (50.65 –60.25%), palmitic acid (12.03–18.67%), and linoleic acid (12.63–17.21%). Acetone performed better in terms of TPC (12.77–21.67 mg GAE/g DM), TFC (11.00–18.92 mg QE/g DM), and antioxidant activity using ABTS (22.96–29.32 mg TE/g DM), DPPH (27.96–96.64%), and FRAP (8.37–37.59 mg AAE/g DM). In conclusion, Z. lotus fruit could be considered as a source of carbohydrates and minerals and also natural antioxidants.

Inhibiting Human and Leishmania Arginases Using Cannabis sativa as a Potential Therapy for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: A Molecular Docking Study

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by the Leishmania protozoan, is a serious public health problem in Morocco. The treatment of this disease is still based on pentavalent antimonials as the primary therapy, but these have associated side effects. Thus, the development of effective, risk-free alternative therapeutics based on natural compounds against leishmaniasis is urgent. Arginase, the key enzyme in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway, plays a critical role in leishmaniasis outcome and has emerged as a potential therapeutic target. The objective of this study was to test Cannabis sativa's phytochemical components (cannabinoids and terpenoids) through molecular docking against Leishmania and human arginase enzymes. Our results showed that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) possessed the best binding energies of -6.02 and -6.35 kcal/mol with active sites of Leishmania and human arginases, respectively. Delta-9-THC interacted with Leishmania arginase through various amino acids including His139 and His 154 and linked to human arginase via His 126. In addition to delta-9-THC, caryophyllene oxide and cannabidiol (CBD) also showed a good inhibition of Leishmania and human arginases, respectively. Overall, the studied components were found to inhibit both arginases active sites via hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. These components may serve as therapeutic agents or in co-administrated therapy for leishmaniasis.

Quality of Oil Pressed from Hemp Seed Varieties: 'Earlina 8FC', 'Secuieni Jubileu' and 'Finola'

In the last decade, the demand for edible niche oils has increased. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the seeds hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) varieties: ‘Finola’ (FIN-314)’, ‘Earlina 8FC’, and ‘Secuieni Jubileu’, and cold and hot pressed oils were prepared from each seed. The seeds were examined for moisture content, granulometric distribution, bulk density, and fat content. Seeds were pressed without and with preconditioning (60 °C), and oil yield and pressing time were recorded. The oil was filtered through cellulose membranes. Oil–water content, oil color, fatty acid profile, and sterol content were studied. From the study conducted, there are significant differences in the parameters of oil recovery and its quality compared to ‘Finola’ seed oil, which is widely reported in the literature. ‘Finola’ oil yield was the lowest, with an average of 79% compared to ‘Earlina’ (82%) and ‘S. Jubileu’ (84%). All oil samples contained a comparable amount of sterols, with campesterol (0.32 mg/g), β-sitosterol (1.3 mg/g) and Δ5-avenasterol (0.15 mg/g) predominating. From the organoleptic evaluation, it was evident that both varieties hemp oils and marc (‘Earlina’ and ‘S. Jubileu’) were not bitter like the “Finola” oil and marc. More detailed studies in this direction have to be undertaken.