Helichrysum Umbraculigerum or the Woolly Umbrella Plant is a velvety-yellow perennial herb that is native to South Africa. Israeli researchers discovered recently that this plant produces cannabinoids previously thought to be exclusive to cannabis and hemp.
Recent discoveries could lead to new cannabinoid treatments and medicines. Researchers from Weizmann Institute of Science conducted the study titled “Turning over a new leaf with cannabinoids” and it was published earlier this month in the journal Nature Plants.
Cannabis and Woolly Umbrella Plant
Since decades, researchers have been studying cannabinoids. THC is the most popular cannabinoid, but there are many others which have become more prominent over time. They have little to no psychoactive effect and may help treat a wide range of conditions and symptoms.
The research team found that the umbrella produced more than 40 different cannabinoids. Cannabis is well known for producing more than 100 cannabinoids. The researchers also explained the biochemical processes that the plant uses to produce these compounds, and the steps they can replicate in the laboratory in order to create cannabinoids.
Shirley Berman, the Weizmann Institute of Science’s study leader and spokesperson said: “We found a new major source of cannabinoids. We have developed tools to sustain their production. This can allow us to explore their immense therapeutic potential.”
Woolly umbrella plants are related to daisies and sunflowers. The plant can grow up to a meter high and is used as a border in gardens. Folk rituals have been burned to emit intoxicating fumes. This suggests that there is more to it than meets the eye.
German scientists discovered the presence of cannabinoids in woolly umbrellas more than 40 years ago. However, modern research has not been able to confirm these findings. The research team studied the woolly blanket to revisit the umbrella’s relationship with cannabinoids, and to explore its potential as a medicine.
A New Frontier for Cannabinoids?
Researchers used the latest technology to confirm these early reports. They sequenced the whole woolly umbrella’s genome, and then used analytical chemistry techniques to determine the cannabinoids that it contained. The researchers were also able reveal the exact structure of over a dozen cannabinoids and other related metabolites.
They found that the woolly umbrella primarily manufactures cannabis in its leaves, which could be a benefit compared to cannabis, which makes cannabinoids in the shorter-lived, sometimes challenging-to-harvest flower clusters. Researchers found that the plants have many similarities, including the fact that the enzymes involved in cannabinoid manufacturing are from the same family.
Six cannabinoids in woolly umbrellas are the same as those found in cannabis. CBG (or cannabigerol) was the only cannabinoid present. CBG is gaining in popularity as more research reveals its therapeutic potential. The cannabinoid is similar to CBD in that it does not produce a high.
CBG, in cannabis plants especially, is the precursor of many cannabinoids. THCA (also known as THCA-A), CBDA, and CBCA are all derived from CBG in its acidic form CBGA. This leaves very little CBG to harvest on mature plants. The woolly umbrella may be the answer to maximizing CBG production.
An Exploration Finding with Potential for Future Exploration
Researchers also noted the need to examine an eco-point of view. Researchers don’t know why cannabinoids are produced by plants, but some research suggests that they may be used to protect against ultraviolet radiation or deter predators.
The fact that two plants that are genetically unrelated independently evolved the ability to produce cannabinoids indicates that these compounds have important ecological functions, said Professor Asaph Aharoni, who’s lab was used in this study. More research is required to identify these functions.
The findings of the research could allow scientists to create cannabinoids not found in nature. This would enable them to better bind to cannabinoid-receptors on humans or to produce specific therapeutic effects. Cannabinoids found in the woolly umbrella could have untapped potential.
Berman stated that the next step is to find out the therapeutic properties of these new cannabinoids.
The article Cannabinoids found in non-cannabis plant Woolly Umbrella first appeared on High Times.
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