First medicinal cannabis application: “Cannabinoids in 2500-year-old incense burners”

Did you know that cannabis was used as a medicinal plant over 4,000 years ago? The plant, which is often the subject of controversy today, was once an integral part of medicine in many cultures. Everyone talks about medicinal cannabis, but the medical use of cannabis is older than you might think. From China to Egypt to Ancient Greece, doctors and healers everywhere discovered the amazing effects of cannabis. But how exactly was it used? And what surprising applications were there? Here you can see how cannabis has established itself as a remedy over the millennia. Read more about the history of cannabis here.

China – The oldest medical records (~2700 BC)

Would you have thought that the Chinese already knew about the healing power of cannabis thousands of years ago? In Shennong Ben Cao Jing, one of the oldest medical works in the world, cannabis is described as a remedy for pain, inflammation and malaria.

If you want to read the full paper, you can find the source for the knowledge here: Max Planck Institute. Continue in short form!

Back then, the plant was not only used for healing, but also for spiritual rituals. Chinese doctors often combined cannabis with other herbs to produce effective remedies. Particularly noteworthy:

It was even used as an anesthetic during operations – long before modern anesthetics were available!

Here are the most important points once again:

• Cannabis already used medicinally 4,000 years ago
• Use for malaria, rheumatism and pain
• Was even used as an early anesthetic

Egypt – Cannabis against eye diseases (~1550 BC)

Did you know that cannabis was already documented as a remedy in Ancient Egypt? In the famous Ebers Papyrus, a medical manuscript over 3,500 years old, cannabis appears as a treatment for eye diseases and inflammation.

Particularly exciting: researchers suspect that Egyptian healers used cannabis to treat glaucoma – an application that is also known in modern medicine! The plant was also used as a painkiller during childbirth and to relieve menstruation.

• Cannabis mentioned as a medicinal herb in the Ebers papyrus
• Presumably used against glaucoma
• Use as a painkiller for childbirth and menstruation

India – Cannabis as a divine remedy (~1000 BC)

In India, cannabis was not only regarded as a medicine, but also as a spiritual remedy. The plant played an important role in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian healing system. There it was referred to as “bhang” and used in rituals and healing treatments.

You’ll be surprised: cannabis was used back then to treat sleep problems, stomach complaints and cramps. It also served as an appetite stimulant and helped with digestive disorders – very similar to medicinal cannabis today!

• Cannabis used as a medicinal plant in Ayurveda
• Use for sleep problems, stomach complaints and cramps
• Also used in religious rituals

Greece & Rome – Antiquity discovers cannabis (~400 BC)

Did you think that cannabis was only discovered as a painkiller in the last few centuries? Even the ancient Greeks and Romans knew about its healing properties! The famous physician Hippocrates recommended cannabis for the treatment of wounds and inflammation.

The Romans also used the plant: Galen, one of the most important physicians of antiquity, used cannabis to treat gout, pain and insomnia. It was even used as an anaesthetic for operations!

• Hippocrates recommended cannabis against inflammation
• Galen used it for gout and pain
• Possible use as an anesthetic in antiquity

Arab world – Cannabis in Islamic medicine (~900 AD)

Would you have guessed that cannabis also played an important role in Islamic medicine? The famous physician Avicenna (Ibn Sina) described cannabis as a remedy for migraines, epilepsy and digestive disorders.

Particularly interesting: cannabis was also used to treat mental illnesses at the time. It was considered a sedative and was even administered to patients with mental disorders.

• Cannabis in Avicenna’s “Canon of Medicine”
• Use for migraines, epilepsy and digestive problems
• Was used as a sedative

Archaeological finds: Cannabis in the Pamir Mountains (~500 BC)

Now things are getting really exciting: scientists have discovered a Max Planck Institute in the Pamir Mountains in China. The surprising thing? The plants had an extremely high THC content, which suggests that people deliberately used psychoactive cannabis for rituals.

Here you can see a 2,500-year-old fireplace with traces of cannabis.

This discovery is the oldest known evidence of the deliberate consumption of cannabis with strong effects. It was probably burned during burial ceremonies or spiritual rituals. This shows that cannabis has a long tradition not only medically, but also culturally.

• 2,500-year-old cannabis residues with a high THC content
• Presumably used for spiritual or ritual purposes
• First clear evidence of psychoactive cannabis use

An ancient medicinal plant with a future!

Amazing, isn’t it? For thousands of years, cannabis has been a valued medicinal plant throughout history – from China to Egypt and the Islamic world. People knew early on how many ways cannabis can help.

Today we are experiencing a renaissance of medicinal use. What was once forbidden is now being researched again and legalized in many countries. Modern science is confirming what ancient cultures have known for a long time:

Cannabis can be a valuable remedy!