Cannabis was one of the first plants domesticated by humans with a large use, for thousand years, of inflorescences for medicinal/ritual purposes. The genus Cannabis is represented by only one species C. sativa, however, several chemotypes have been recognized, differing from each other in their geographical and/or phytochemical content. A medicinal phenotype, containing high concentration of Δ9-THC has been introduced into western medicine during the early 19th century. A fiber-type, containing as major phytocannabinoid cannabidiol, is well known as hemp and used for textile, seed oil purposes and source of nutrients. The plant is a chemically complex species, including numerous phytocannabinoids and non-cannabinoid-type constituents. More than 150 structurally different phytocannabinoids have been isolated from Cannabis sativa L., and different macromolecular end-points (metabotropic receptors, ion channels, transcription factors) have been identified. Bioactive compounds of major interest are also terpenes, while other secondary metabolites are non-cannabinoid phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids and others.
The plant grows in all habitats, ranging from sea level to temperate to alpine foothills. The agronomic factors influence content and yield of secondary metabolites, increase variability in crop yield and quality of production. Among them, factors such as cultivar, cultivation and harvest conditions, as well as climate, could affect phytocannabinoid and other secondary metabolites production and their relative content. This chemical variability, as result of the plant stress response, can be controlled and potentially optimized. For reproducible drug quality, appropriate knowledge of the influence of environmental conditions seems to be necessary.
In this scenario, this Research Topic aims at collecting Original Research Articles and Reviews regarding the phytochemical profiling of fiber hemp and seed oil, monitoring the variation of chemical composition of the phytocannabinoids and other secondary metabolites as results of agronomic and environmental stress. In particular, the Research Topic welcomes the following type of studies focused on:
- Agronomic management of C. sativa cultivars
- Metabolomics investigation to understand the influence of different factors in the secondary metabolites profile.
- Extraction, isolation and structure elucidation of secondary metabolites.
- Bioactivity evaluation of cannabinoids and others metabolites and identification of novel biological end-points (preliminary studies based on in vitro bioassay of cannabinoids or other secondary metabolites isolated from Cannabis on CB, TRP receptors or other end-points (eg. PPAR, antioxidant, or anti-glycemic activity etc.)).
- Elucidation of the mechanism of action of secondary metabolites, together with structure-activity relationships. We exclude in vivo bioactivity evaluations.
Please note: Frontiers in Plant Science does not accept solely descriptive studies - studies which report responses of growth, yield or quality to agronomical treatments will not be considered if they do not progress physiological understanding of these responses. Such purely agronomic studies should be submitted to Frontiers in Agronomy.
Cannabis was one of the first plants domesticated by humans with a large use, for thousand years, of inflorescences for medicinal/ritual purposes. The genus Cannabis is represented by only one species C. sativa, however, several chemotypes have been recognized, differing from each other in their geographical and/or phytochemical content. A medicinal phenotype, containing high concentration of Δ9-THC has been introduced into western medicine during the early 19th century. A fiber-type, containing as major phytocannabinoid cannabidiol, is well known as hemp and used for textile, seed oil purposes and source of nutrients. The plant is a chemically complex species, including numerous phytocannabinoids and non-cannabinoid-type constituents. More than 150 structurally different phytocannabinoids have been isolated from Cannabis sativa L., and different macromolecular end-points (metabotropic receptors, ion channels, transcription factors) have been identified. Bioactive compounds of major interest are also terpenes, while other secondary metabolites are non-cannabinoid phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids and others.
The plant grows in all habitats, ranging from sea level to temperate to alpine foothills. The agronomic factors influence content and yield of secondary metabolites, increase variability in crop yield and quality of production. Among them, factors such as cultivar, cultivation and harvest conditions, as well as climate, could affect phytocannabinoid and other secondary metabolites production and their relative content. This chemical variability, as result of the plant stress response, can be controlled and potentially optimized. For reproducible drug quality, appropriate knowledge of the influence of environmental conditions seems to be necessary.
In this scenario, this Research Topic aims at collecting Original Research Articles and Reviews regarding the phytochemical profiling of fiber hemp and seed oil, monitoring the variation of chemical composition of the phytocannabinoids and other secondary metabolites as results of agronomic and environmental stress. In particular, the Research Topic welcomes the following type of studies focused on:
- Agronomic management of C. sativa cultivars
- Metabolomics investigation to understand the influence of different factors in the secondary metabolites profile.
- Extraction, isolation and structure elucidation of secondary metabolites.
- Bioactivity evaluation of cannabinoids and others metabolites and identification of novel biological end-points (preliminary studies based on in vitro bioassay of cannabinoids or other secondary metabolites isolated from Cannabis on CB, TRP receptors or other end-points (eg. PPAR, antioxidant, or anti-glycemic activity etc.)).
- Elucidation of the mechanism of action of secondary metabolites, together with structure-activity relationships. We exclude in vivo bioactivity evaluations.
Please note: Frontiers in Plant Science does not accept solely descriptive studies - studies which report responses of growth, yield or quality to agronomical treatments will not be considered if they do not progress physiological understanding of these responses. Such purely agronomic studies should be submitted to Frontiers in Agronomy.