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25. CANNABINACEAE
I. Cannabis sativa Linn. Sp. PI. 1027. 1753. (FIR. 103).
Cannabis indica Lamk.—Cannabis chiAensis Del.
Engl. Hemp; Sinh. Ganja, Kansa, Math-kansa; 7am. Bangi, Ganja, Kslpam,
Korkkarmuli; Hindi Bhang, Charas. Garja, Ganjekaper, Gur, Kinnab, Phulganja, Sabzi,
Siddhi: Sans. Ajaya, Ananda, Bhanga, Bhringi, Chapala, Dhurtapatni, Dhurtavadhu, Ganja,
GanjiJw, Hanga, Hara, Harshini, Indrashana, Jaya, Jnanavallika, Kamagni, Manchara,
Matkunari, Matta, Matulani, Matult, Maya, Mohini, Nili, Shakrashana, Shiva, Shivapriya,
Tandraruchivardhini, Trailokhyavijaya, Ujaya, Unmattini. Ununda, Vajra-druvikshaha, Vijaya,
Virapatra, Vrijpatta, Yogini.
An annual herb about I—3 m tall, erect, slender, stem slightly woody at the base, striate,
slightly rough with very close, short and fine tomentum, greyish green; leaves numerous,
alternate or opposite, palmate compound, spreading on long slender, scabrous petioles with
linear acute stipules at the base; leaflets 5—7, or only 3 in the upper leaves, the middle one
longest, sessile, linear-lanceolate', acute or attenuate at both ends, strongly and sharply serrate,
finely scabrous and dark green above, pale and finely downy beneath; flowers small, unisexual,
dioecious; male plant smaller, flowers numerous, shortly stalked, irregularly arranged on the
branches of lax drooping panicles arising from axils of leaves and on the summit of the stem;
perianth very deeply divided into 5, almost separate, oblong, nearly equal, downy, pale yellow
segments imbricate in bud; stamens 5, opposite perianth segments, filaments slender, very short,
anthers large, pendulous; female flower with a single, cordate-ovate, hirsute, glandular,
5-vcined perianth leaf sheathing round the ovary; ovary superior, ovoid, smooth, unilocular
with a single, pendulous ovule, style arms 2, filiform, caducous, hairy; fruit small, about 2 mm
long, enclosed in the persistent, spathe-like perianth, ovoid-compressed, pointed ; seed completely
filling the fruit, albuminous.
Illustrations. Bentley and Trimen Med. PI., pi. 231. 1880; Kirtikar and Basu, Indian
Med. PI., pi. 888. 1933; Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk. Medicinal and Poisonous Med. PL of
South and East Africa, pi. 208. 1962; Herb. Peradeniya, drawing.
Distribution. Native of the temperate parts of Asia, Southern Siberia and Persia and
probably of Northern India, and China. It is cultivated in Ceylon, illicitly in chenas in the dryzone
India. Sikkim, T. Thomson, 1859. Nepal, Wallich 4665C, 1821. Maisor and Carnatic,
G. Thomson. Ceylon. Peradeniya, Bot. Gard., cultivated, 1900. China. Peking, Williams 352, Aug.
1863; Wein, Kovats 1041.
Composition. The active principle in this plant is an amorphous resin called cannabin
which yields a toxic oily substance known as cannabinol. The plant also contains nicotine and
the seed, trigonelline.
Uses. The flowering tops of the female plant or the resin exuded spontaneously from
the leaves and stems, under certain climatic conditions, are used medicinally or as a narcotic.
The powdered leaf is mixed with tobacco and smoked as a cigarette or in a pipe. "Sabjee"
and "Legiam" are two sweetened preparations, frequently used by Mohammedans.
Hemp is unreliable therapeutically as its effects vary with the physical condition and
idiosyncracies of the user. It excites high psychic centres as well as the central nervous system.
It distorts time and space sense. It can cause merriment and dancing or uncontrollable violence.
Medicinally, the leaves are used with other ingredients for preparations in the treatment
of coughs, asthma, dropsy, diarrhoea, dysentery, piles, neuralgia,'migraine, etc. In Africa, the
plant is used in the treatment of malaria, blackwater fever, blood poisoning, anthrax, dysentery
and snake bites.
The stem yields a valuable fibre used for cordage, sacking and sail cloth. The seeds are
used as bird food as they do not contain any narcotic properties. They contain a fixed oil
used as varnish.
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