Indian Hemp , its uses and its health benefit

Indian Hemp

Indian hemp can be defined as an annual, robust herb with angular stem bearing hand shaped divided leaves with greenish flowers with the botanical name cannabis sativa. The hemp plant are divided into three parts namely, fiber from the stem, narcotics from the leaves and oil from the seed. The leaves serve as drugs to reduce excitement, irritation and pain in other to induce deep sleep.

  The main constituents of indian hemp are called cannabinol, cannabinin and pseusocannabinol. It also contains cannin and resin. The biological activities of cannabis are due to phenolic and alcoholic compounds. These resins also contain a crystalline compound named canin.

Indian hemp is said to have roughly the same number of male and female plant. We have three types of narcotics which are produced from the indian hemp plant, which are namely nashish or bhang which constitutes the dried leaves and flowering shoots of male and female plants which has low resin content. Ganga which is the dried unfertilized female inflorescence of special varieties grown in india and charas, which is the crude resin collected by rubbing the tops of the plant with the hands. In all these drugs, the active principle is a resin from the glandular hair on its leaves, stems and inflorescences.

Indian hemp health benefits

1. The indian hemp leaves helps in the treatment of insomnia. They are at times administered to induce sleep where opium cannot be administered. Charas and ganga are also effective drugs used to induce sleep.

2. The indian hemp leaves are useful in the treatment of dysentery and diarrhea. Two grams of dried leaves can be taken with black pepper and sugar.

3. Bhang or hashish is considered beneficial in digestive disorder like dyspepsia and other bowel complaints. It also acts as an appetizer.

4. Charas is highly beneficial in treatment of periodical headaches, acute mania, delirium and insanity, nervous exhaustion, nervous vomiting, convulsion neuralgia. It must be taken 1.5 to 6 centrigram doses.

A paste of fresh leaves is very useful in resolving tumors. The powder of the leaves serves useful in dressing wounds and sores. Ganga is always applied to relieve pain in itchy skin diseases.
The seeds of the plants are not narcotic. Their infusion is beneficial in gonorrhea. Bhang can also be taken in this disorder.

The juice of indian hemp helps in removing dandruff and head lice from hair

Uses of indian hemp

Uses in Food and Nutrition

Hemp seeds are eaten raw, sprouted, or ground into a paste and added to foods. They have a nutty flavor and can be consumed as a healthy mix with other grains, seeds, dried fruits and nuts. The seed is almost as rich in protein as soy; this protein called edestin matches the protein content in human blood. Further processing of the seed produces items such as whole grain, baking flour, protein powder, oil and hemp cake, a byproduct of the oil extraction process, while the fresh leaves of the plant are used in salads.

Body Care

Some body care products made from hemp oil includes face creams, body butters, soaps, shampoos and conditioners. This oil contains a lot of omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids that give the skin its much-needed nutrients and offer biochemical and therapeutic effects for the body. Hemp oil can slow the natural aging process of the skin; its moisturizing and healing benefits are used to cure various skin problems, especially psoriasis and eczema. It induces a healthy growth of hair, leaving it with a shine and bounce. Hemp oil-based creams can be topically applied to fight acne and reduce scars. It is also found in lipsticks.

Paper

Papers are also made from the pulp of the long, strong hemp fibers. These grow under the bark of the dried hemp stalk, on the outer surface of the woody interior. The first hemp paper mill opened in 1818 in Saint Petersburg, Russia; the paper produced was used in bank notes, stocks, bonds, postal stamps, watermarks and other official documents. Hemp paper is more durable and recyclable than tree-based paper and does not need bleaching. Today, it is most used in cigarette paper.

Fuel

The hemp plant undergoes fermentation to produce methanol and ethanol fuels. Biodiesel, also referred to as hempoline, is obtained from the oil extracted from its seeds and stalks. These bio-fuels are cheap and efficient in automobile usage, and they do less harm to the environment than other fuels. They offer a renewable source of energy as a worthy replacement to fossil fuels.

Building Materials

There are short inner fibers of hemp are called hurd; these are combined with lime to give a material that is commercially known as Hempcrete or Isochanvre; though this material resembles concrete, it is half its weight and thrice as elastic.

Plastic Alternative

Plastics contain cellulose and hemp has the highest cellulose content among all plants. In 1941, Henry Ford built a revolutionary prototype car from hemp and soybean plastic. Automobile panels are made of a composite consisting of fiberglass, hemp fiber and flax. Nowadays, car parts made of 100% hemp are also available; in particular, the interiors of car doors and the automobile glove box.

As a narcotic, indian hemp is consumed as beverage. It is more often used for smoking for euphorbic purposes. Excessive smoking is harmful to the body and may cause insanity. Hemp seed is used for the production of a drying oil and the fiber is used for making ropes.

Precautions to be taken

Too much consumption of indian hemp is harmful both physically and mentally. If it is consumed for a very long time, it causes loss of appetite and gastric derangement. Hemp drugs act chiefly on the cerebrum whereas they resemble the action of alcohol and opium.
And it also makes one lose sanity when it is consumed too much.

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