Understanding Cannabis as an Herbal Medicine
Cannabis as a medicine has been approached through several views, most commonly through its effect on physiology of cellular processes, much the same as pharmaceutical medicines are understood. Yet, it displays differences from pharmaceuticals due to its components being herbal, not single purified substances. We will review these distinctions, including its history of as an herbal medicine, properties of herbal medicine, cannabis as an herbal medicine including the “entourage effect” – an example of herbal synergy, and clinical considerations of using cannabis as an herbal medicine. This allows a more informed understanding of this complex herbal medicine for clinical use.