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Medical Marijuana: Cannabis strains and their medical use
Cannabis is mainly known for its relaxing and calming effects. However, new scientific studies show the enormous and wide-ranging medicinal potential of the plant. The medicinal effects of cannabis are not an invention of our time and were already discovered many hundreds of years ago and used in many parts of the world.
According to records, an early Chinese emperor used cannabis for medicinal purposes as early as 2700 BC. This is believed to be one of the first mentions of cannabis in this context. Marijuana was already considered a medicinal plant in many parts of Asia at the time and appeared in the first pharmacopoeias as a remedy for nausea, insomnia, muscle tension, asthma and depression. Hemp is also found in numerous other records and reports from earlier times as an important medicinal plant for alleviating various complaints and diseases.
After many decades of senseless and unjustified demonisation of cannabis, there has been a rethink and the numerous positive medical effects are increasingly being discussed and are part of international studies and scientific work. Patients all over the world can tell about their personal positive experiences and how much cannabis could help them to alleviate or even fight a certain disease.
Medical Cannabis in 2013
In 2013, numerous studies were published worldwide and important impulses were given with regard to cannabis as medicine. Important scientific advances were made, for example:
- In 2013, the FDA (Federal Drug Administration; USA) approved research into cannabis use for epilepsy in children for the first time. Presumably, media pressure contributed to this after numerous cases of epilepsy in children were successfully treated with marijuana and this became public knowledge.
- Marijuana and cancer: Science has known for decades about the positive effects of marijuana on cancer patients. In 2013, researchers at the University of London discovered that other components of cannabis, such as cannabidiol and cannbigerol, can be powerful tools in fighting the life-threatening disease.
- First clinical trial series (USA) explores the use of marijuana in brain tumours. GW Pharmaceuticals begins the first clinical trial series with Sativex in relation to the disease since its inception.
- Israeli researchers have studied the effect of marijuana on Parkinson's disease and were able to show that the participants in the study experienced a significant reduction in symptoms such as tremor or stiffness after smoking marijuana. It also led to a reduction in pain and an improvement in sleep.
- In May, Israeli researchers published the results of the first human study on cannabis use in Crohn's disease. The main focus was on alleviating the typical symptoms, which could be significantly improved by taking cannabis. Earlier results from animal studies suggest that the compounds in cannabis can even treat the underlying causes of Crohn's disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases.
What is the right medicinal cannabis strain for me?
When choosing a medical marijuana strain for yourself, it is important to first be aware of the differences between indica and sativa. All psychoactive cannabis strains contain active cannabinoids. The two main cannabinoids, THC and CBD, are present in different proportions in the different strains and thus produce a wide range of effects when consumed. In many medical marijuana strains, THC makes up the largest proportion, the CBD proportion is comparatively smaller. CBD has no psychoactive effect, but it does have many medicinal effects: it can reduce blood sugar, has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects, and relaxes muscles. A CBD content of 1% is considered relatively high, although there are now strains with over 7% CBD and low THC content that produce certain medicinal effects without getting high.
Basically, sativas have a medium to high THC and quite low CBD content, while indicas usually have a high THC and relatively high CBD level.
CBN, CBC, CBL and THCV are also found in the plants. These substances amplify the individual effects of THC and CBD and thus provide the different effects of the individual varieties.
The medicinal use of indicas
Indica strains generally have a calming effect and create a feeling of being "stoned". They are particularly noted for their physical and relaxing effects. Indicas have been particularly effective in treating muscle spasms, MS, chronic pain, arthritis, insomnia and various anxieties.
The medicinal use of sativas
The sativa strains produce a cerebral energetic high that makes physical and mental effects. Sativas are particularly helpful in treating nausea and vomiting, and are also often used to support chemotherapy or AIDS medication. Loss of appetite, migraines, depression and chronic pain are now successfully treated with sativas by sufferers in many parts of the world.
The medicinal use of indica-sativa hybrids
Hybrids (= crosses of indica and sativa) possess typical genetic characteristics of both cannabis species. This is an advantage for many patients who use cannabis for medicinal purposes against chronic pain. Both the indicas and the sativas are suitable for the relief and treatment of chronic pain. A combination of the respective genes, can have the effect of combining the best of both cannabis types and mitigate possible unwanted effects such as fatigue. Many professionally bred cannabis strains often contain both sativa and indica genetics for this reason.
Medical marijuana in everyday life
Many patients who use cannabis medicinally use a combination of different strains. During the day, strains that stimulate and bring the high effect of sativas are more in demand. Indicas, on the other hand, are often used in the evening and before bedtime, when a calming, sleep-inducing effect is desired. Hybrid varieties are an ideal mixture of both effect spectrums for many patients.
Below we have compiled a list of popular medical marijuana strains and their common uses. You can find more information about each strain in the shop and of course all seeds of the corresponding strains are also available in our shop:
Medical cannabis strains and their uses
| Cannabis strain |
For which symptoms can it be used? Effects? |
Sperm Bank |
| Acapulco Gold | Pain, muscle cramps, tension | Barney`s Farm |
| Acid | mood-lifting, relaxation, pain | Paradise Seeds |
| Afghan Kush |
Relaxation, calming, reduction of anxiety | White Label |
| AK-47 | anti-depressant, reduces pain, for chronic pain, neuropathic pain | Serious Seeds |
| Amnesia Haze |
Stress reduction, relaxation | Soma Seeds |
| Auto Banana Kush |
for chronic pain, does not make you sleepy, for the day | Anesia Seeds |
| Black Jack |
sedative, for relaxation, calming | Sweet Seeds |
| Black Widow |
sedative, for sleep disorders, calming | Positronics |
| Blue Cheese |
Relaxation, against depression, appetising, sleep-inducing | Barney`s Farm |
| California Hash Plant |
Relaxing, calming, for sleep disorders | Dinafem |
| Canadian Kush |
Depression, pain management, insomnia | Medical Seeds |
| Catcarat Kush | Pain, eating disorders, sleep disorders | DNA Genetics |
| CBD Skunk | antispasmodic, relaxing (without making you tired) | Dutch Passion |
| Cheese |
Anorexia, stress, glaucoma, apettite, arthritis, epilepsy, migraine, MS | Dinafem |
| Chronic | appetising, relaxation, muscle spasms | Serious Seeds |
| C99 | ADHD, Depression, Epilepsy, MS | female seeds |
| Chocolope | relaxing, depression, migraine | DNA Genetics |
| Confidential Cheese | Pain, sleep disorder, eating disorder | Reserva Privada |
| Critical Express | Stress relief, chronic pain, relaxation | Positronics |
| Critical Rapido | chronic pains | Barney's Farm |
| Cum Laude | analgesic, cheering up, calming, stress relieving | Positronics |
| Durban Poison | ADHD, anorexia, depression, stress, glaucoma, loss of appetite | Dutch Passion |
| Grapefruit | Arthritis, hepatitis C, pain, nausea | Positronics |
| Hindu Kush | Chronic pain, muscle spasms, nausea, anxiety, soc. stress | Sensi Seeds |
| Jack Herer |
ADHD, anti-depressant, anti-stress, anxiety relief, glaucoma, fibromyalgia, MS, migraine, nausea | Sensi Seeds |
| Jacky White |
anti-depressant, against muscle tension | Paradise Seeds |
| Potash dung |
Chronic pain, depression, Crohn's disease, epilepsy, fibromyalgia | Serious Seeds |
| Lavender | Loss of appetite, chronic pain, nausea | Soma Seeds |
| LSD | Depression, headaches, stress relief, nausea | Barney's Farm |
| Somango | Back pain, nausea | Soma Seeds |
| Master Kush |
Muscle tension, nausea, insomnia | Dutch Passion |
| Mazar | Relaxing, appetising, decongestant | Dutch Passion |
| Medicine Man |
Anti-stress, mood enhancement, neuropathic pain | Mr Nice |
| Neville's Haze |
Crohn's disease, MS, epilepsy | Mr Nice |
| New York Diesel |
Incontinence, nausea, anorexia, MS | Soma Seeds |
| Night Queen |
Sleep disorder, muscle tension | Dutch Passion |
| OG Kush |
Pain, social phobia, relaxation | Reserva Privada |
| Purple Domina |
emotional stability, gastrointestinal upset, nervousness | Anesia Seeds |
| Sensi Star |
anti-depressant, migraine, muscle tension, nausea, sleep-inducing | Paradise Seeds |
| Skunk #1 |
for loss of appetite, nausea, pain | Sensi Seeds |
| Sour Diesel |
for depression, incontinence, chronic pain, migraine, MS, nausea, stress | Medical Seeds |
| Strawberry Cough |
for back pain, depression, stress, nausea | Dutch Passion |
| Strawberry Kush |
For ADHD, anorexia, depression, arthritis, epilepsy, stomach pain, glaucoma, chronic pain and MS. | Anesia Seeds |
| Super Silver Haze |
Depression, epilepsy, incontinence | Dinafem |
| Twilight | Arthritis, pain, relaxation, sleep disorders | Dutch Passion |
| Vertigo Auto |
Sleep disorder, chronic pain | Paradise Seeds |
| White Russian |
Pain, nausea | Serious Seeds |
| White Widow |
Epilepsy, MS, post-traumatic stress syndrome, hepatitis C | Medical Seeds |
| 1024 | mood-lifting, antispasmodic, for depressive moods | Medical Seeds |
| 2046 | Pain therapy, glaucoma | Medical Seeds |
Here we have compiled a list of medicinal cannabis strains sorted by disease:
