Hemp Seed for ConstipationCannabis sativa L.
Hemp seed oil products mixed with herbal extracts are widely sold in China as a laxative.
At about 2,300 B.C.E., a legendary Chinese emperor clad in leaves and animal skins documented hemp as a medicine. Emperor Shen Nung prescribed hemp for the treatment of constipation along with a long list of other ailments. In India, the ayurvedic physicians also mix hemp leaves with milk, sugar and spices to treat constipation.
Today, you can buy the seeds from Chinese herbal medicine shops by asking for huo-ma-ren, or "fire hemp seeds" to make a decoction using 9-15 grams according to Applied Illustrated Compendium of Materia Medica. In some countries, like USA, it is not possible to buy cannabis by walking into a shop. So I feel cool being able to do so legally in my city.
Doesn't marijuana come from this plant? This answer is yes. So do clothes that look like linen, environmentally friendly paper, building materials, ropes and thousands of other useful items...they are made from this so-called "devil weed with roots in hell".
Even if I chuck you in a field full of cannabis sativa, you don't have much chances of smoking free pot. Only the variety of hemp containing high percentage of the natural chemical compound is craved by drug addicts. The hemp products you can buy in shops legally come from plants that contain comparatively very low ingredients to make marijuana. Anyways, the flowers and leaves make marijuana, not the seeds.
Hmm would I still experience euphoria from consuming seeds of hemp to relieve constipation?
The seeds contain cannabinols such as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compounds found in flowers and leaves. However, the levels are significantly lower. People who are particularly sensitive to THC may experience euphoria and hallucinations. Oh, if you are taking part in competitive sports where the prize is lots of $ , your urine test may come out positive for marijuana, even if you do not get any thrills. Generally, most people experience no euphoria and side effects.
So far, there are no well-known drug with huo ma ren. But please note that theoretically since hemp seed oil can inhibit platelets, folks who are taking anticoagulant drugs may experience bleeding.
Hemp seeds oil is relatively nutritious. They are rich in essential fatty acids: the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and the omega-6 fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). They also contain natural vitamin E and protein. No wonder livestock produce more babies $ when being fed with hemp during mating season.
Talking about animals...farmers in Asia use hemp to treat their livestock for constipation by feeding 'em a bolus of hemp flowers, sugar and grain. I don't know if this "superior elixir of immortality" according to Shen Nung can nourish the yin or feminine in the case of animal constipation. Anyways..Moo...baa...neigh...they sure share one constipation relief with us humans here. :-)
 Return to Traditional Chinese Medicine Return from Medicinal Properties of Hemp Seed to Homepage

|