Tag: china

The hemp plant is arguably the most useful and versatile crop in existence, with humans having made use of it for thousands of years for a wide array of applications. Yet, there is still a lot more to be learned about how humans can make the most out of hemp harvests, as demonstrated by the findings of a recent study in China.

A team of researchers based in China recently examined how incorporating a silicone-containing, water-based polyurethane coating impacts hemp fabric and paper’s level of water resistance and their mechanical stability.

“Hemp fabric and cellulose paper are sustainable materials with high application potential – but their limited water resistance and mechanical resilience hinder their wider industrial use.” reported European Coatings in its original coverage of the research. “A research team from China has now developed a functionalised coating that addresses these weaknesses: A water-based polyurethane acrylate coating with silicone components (WPUASi) increases both the hydrophobicity and the strength of the substrates.”

“The emulsion, which is based on an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN), was applied to hemp textiles and filter paper. The water contact angle (WCA) increased from 0° to 127.5° for hemp and to 113.2° for paper. The mechanical characteristics also improved significantly: the tensile strength of the hemp fabric increased by 19 % and the folding strength of the filter paper increased 23-fold.” European Coatings also wrote.

The researchers also applied the protective layer to other materials, including cotton and wood, and it yielded similar results. For hemp specifically, the emulsion seemed to properly adhere, as proven by the treated hemp material retaining ‘most of its hydrophobic and mechanical properties’ after ‘several washing cycles.’

Further research will need to be conducted to see what new ways hemp can be used after being treated with a coating like the one at the heart of this investigation in China. Entrepreneurs and innovators around the globe will no doubt explore a multitude of possibilities, both for industrial applications and beyond.

A team of researchers affiliated with Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (Spain) and Dresden University of Technology (Germany) recently conducted a separate study that examined hemp and mechanical-chemical cottonization. The results of the study were published in the academic journal Cellulose.

“The hemp treated with a high level of H2O2 stabilizer, according to the established experimental design for the oxidizing process, exhibited superior performance when blended with cotton and spun with a count of 40 tex and a twist coefficient (αm) of 170. These outcomes are of industrial interest for the production of fine yarns because they can be easily implemented using existing machinery devoted to processing cotton.” the researchers determined.

Advances in hemp research increase the potential for the global hemp market. During a recent presentation at the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin, leading international cannabis industry economist Beau Whitney, founder of Whitney Economics, provided data demonstrating that the value of the global industrial hemp industry could be as much as $456.2 billion.

Anyone who has battled cancer, or loved someone who has battled cancer, will be quick to tell you that it is a very difficult and terrible thing to ever have to endure. According to the Worldwide Cancer Research Fund International, “there were 19,976,499 cancer cases in 2022.”

Trachea, bronchus, and lung cancer are the most commonly diagnosed forms of the serious health condition, followed by breast cancer and colorectum cancer. It is estimated that roughly 1 out of every 10 deaths across the globe every year are cancer-related, and effective treatments are desperately needed.

Researchers in China recently conducted a preclinical cancer research trial involving cannabis terpenes. Terpenes are naturally occurring chemical compounds in the cannabis plant. Below are the results of the trial via a news release from NORML:

Shanghai, China: Hemp oil extracts containing the terpenes β-caryophyllene and α-humulene possess potent analgesic and anti-cancer properties, according to preclinical data published in Fitoterapia: The Journal for the Study of Medicinal Plants.

Chinese scientists assessed the pain-relieving and anti-tumor activities of hemp oil in mice. They reported that the administration of cannabis extracts reduced neuropathic pain and “significantly inhibited” tumor growth.

The study’s authors concluded, “These results reveal that HEO [hemp essential oil] plays a role not only in tumor chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy treatment, but also in anti-tumor treatment which offers key information for new strategies in cancer treatment and provides reference for the medicinal development of hemp.”

Prior studies have similarly determined that cannabis terpenes, including β-caryophyllene and α-humulene, can produce potent analgesic effects in animal models. Cannabinoids possess well-established anti-cancer activities in preclinical models, but their efficacy has rarely been assessed in clinical trials.

Full text of the study, “Chemical compounds, anti-tumor and anti-neuropathic pain effect of hemp essential oil,” appears in Fitoterapia. Additional information on cannabinoids and cancer is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

Kidney stones are not new to humans. In fact, references to kidney stones go as far back as ancient Mesopotamia, with references made in medical texts dating as far back as 3200 BC. Kidney stones involve the formation and occasional passage of crystal agglomerates in a person’s urinary tract.

The condition is associated with being a risk factor for other health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, bone problems, and chronic kidney disease. Conversely, these conditions and others also serve as risk factors for developing kidney stones.

Men are more likely to develop kidney stones than women, with elderly men being the most likely to develop the condition. Researchers in China recently examined kidney stone rates among men who use cannabis versus those men who do not consume cannabis. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Sichuan, China: Men who consume cannabis are far less likely than non-users to experience kidney stones, according to data published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology.

A team of Chinese investigators assessed the relationship between cannabis use and kidney stones in a representative sample of over 14,000 US subjects between the ages of 20 and 59.

After adjusting for potential confounders, researchers reported that marijuana use among men was inversely correlated with kidney stones (OR = 0.72). Men who consumed cannabis most frequently experienced the lowest risk (OR = 0.62). Similar trends were not identified among females.

Authors concluded: “To our knowledge, this study is the first cross-sectional study to explore the association between marijuana use and the risk of kidney stones from the population-based NHANES [National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey] dataset. Taken together, our findings suggested that regular marijuana male users were related to a lower risk of kidney stones. Further studies are warranted to investigate the dose and type associations of marijuana with kidney stones.”

Full text of the study, “Association between marijuana use and kidney stones: A cross-sectional study of NHANES 2009 to 2018,” appears in Frontiers in Pharmacology.

The dangers of fatty liver disease may not be well known around the globe, however, it’s a serious health condition. International researchers estimate that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease, with a worldwide prevalence of 25%.

Fatty liver disease involves an increased build-up of fat in the liver, and in extreme cases, it can result in liver failure. Symptoms of fatty liver disease include fatigue, weight loss, and abdominal pain.

Researchers in China recently explored the relationship between cannabis use and fatty liver disease, and the results of the analysis are significant. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Hubei, China: Adults with a history of cannabis use are less likely than non-users to be diagnosed with liver steatosis (abnormal fat retention a/k/a fatty liver disease), according to data published in the journal PLOS One.

A group of Chinese investigators assessed the relationship between marijuana use and the prevalence of fatty liver disease in a cohort of 2,622 US adults. Study participants consisted of current cannabis consumers, former consumers, and lifetime non-users.

Researchers determined that both current and former users possessed lower rates of liver steatosis than did those with no history of marijuana use – a finding that is consistent with numerous other studies.

Authors of the study concluded: “In this nationally representative sample, current marijuana use is inversely associated with steatosis. … Further studies are required to confirm these results longitudinally, and investigations into marijuana compounds and their biological effects are promising for treating and preventing fatty liver disease.”

The results of a 2018 meta-analysis, which reviewed nine studies involving nearly six million subjects, similarly acknowledged “a reduction in the prevalence of NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) in marijuana users.”

Full text of the study, “Marijuana use is inversely associated with liver steatosis detected by transient elastography in the general United States population in the NHANES 2017-2018: A cross-sectional study,” appears in PLOS One.