History of Cannabis Use in the Oriental World

Year 2025, Volume: 1 Issue: 2, 89 - 98, 31.10.2025

Parisa Pouralıkahrız , Mahsa Pouralıkahrız

Abstract

Cannabis sativa L. is an annual, woody plant of high economic value with many different purposes of use. The origin of cannabis is contentious, with the majority of researchers reporting its natural cultivation from 2000 to 10,000 years BCE in Central Asia. It spread to other parts of the world through human intervention. There are records of finding cannabis in the Nile valley (Egypt), Mesopotamia, and the Indus valley civilization (present-day Pakistan and North Western India). Once, oral consumption and intoxication of cannabis was a common tradition among people of Egypt, Arabia, and Iran. Cannabis is used to produce biomaterials, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Cannabis produces over 100 pharmacologically active compounds, including Tetrahidrokannabinol (THC) and Kannabidiol (CBD). Cannabis is legal in China for industrial and medicinal purposes. Cannabis was introduced for Western Medicine in the 19th century for the treatment of many diseases and disorders. Cannabis has been mentioned in Indian literature since 2000 BCE, with medicinal properties described in the Atharva Veda. Despite its health risks, the World Health Organization (WHO) removed the cannabis plant from Schedule IV of the Single Convention (1961) in 2019 and allowed its cultivation.

Keywords

Central Asia , Old testament , medicinal compounds , Fibers

Doğu Dünyasında Kenevir Kullanımının Tarihi

Abstract

Cannabis sativa L., çok farklı kulanım alanları olan, tek yıllık, odunsu ve ekonomik değeri yüksek bir bitkidir. Kenevirin kökeni tartışmalıdır. Birçok araştırmacı, kenevirin M.Ö. 2000-10.000 yılları arasında Orta Asya’da yetiştirildiğini bildirmektedir. Kenevir, diğer ülkelere ticaret ve insan yolu ile yayılmıştır. Nil (Mısır), Mezapotamya (Filistin, Arabistan, İran) ve Indus Vadisi medeniyetlerinde (günümüzde Pakistan ve Hindistan) kenevir bulunduğuna dair kayıtlar vardır. Bir zamanlar, kenevirin psikoaktif özelliği sebebiyle çiğneyerek tüketimi; Mısır, Arabistan ve İran halkları arasında yaygın bir gelenekti. Kenevir biyomalzemeler, kozmetikler ve ilaçlar üretmek için kullanılmaktadır. Kenevir, Tetrahidrokannabinol (THC) ve Kannabidiol (CBD) dahil olmak üzere farmakolojik olarak 100'den fazla aktif bileşik üretmektedir. Kenevir, Çin'de endüstriyel ve tıbbi amaçlar için yasaldır. Kenevir, 19. yüzyılda birçok hastalık ve rahatsızlığın tedavisi için Batı Tıbbına tanıtılmıştır. Kenevir, MÖ 2000'den beri Hint edebiyatında bahsedilmektedir ve Atharva Veda'da tıbbi özellikleri tanımlanmıştır. Dünya Sağlık Örgütü (WHO), sağlık risklerine rağmen kenevir bitkisini 2019 yılında Tek Sözleşme'nin IV. Çizelgesi'nden çıkarmış ve yetiştirilmesine izin vermiştir.

Keywords

Orta Asya , Eski Ahit , tıbbi bileşikler , Lifler

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