Review Article | Volume: 16, Issue: 6, June, 2026

Cannabis sativa Linn.: A Medicinal Plant with Promising Muscle Relaxant-related Constituents

Thandiswa Matuka,  Ayodeji Oluwabunmi Oriola,  Pallab Kar,  Mavuto Gondwe,  Teke Apalata,  Adebola Omowunmi Oyedeji   

Thandiswa Matuka1, Ayodeji Oluwabunmi Oriola1, Pallab Kar2, Mavuto Gondwe3, Teke Apalata4, Adebola Omowunmi Oyedeji1,2

1Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa.

2African Medicinal Flora and Fauna Research Niche, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa.

3Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa.

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa.

Open Access   

Published:  Apr 08, 2026

DOI: 10.1177/22313354261436144
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Abstract

Medicinal plants have served as a source of medicine since human existence. Cannabis sativa, also known as cannabis, or hemp, is one of the most widely known medicinal plants used for the management of ailments, including muscular and/or joint pains, and their associated injuries. Cannabis contains valuable secondary metabolites, terpenes (α-pinene, β-caryophyllene, limonene, and myrcene), terpenoids (camphor, linalool, and terpineol), phenolics (stilbene, spiroindan, and cannflavin), and phytocannabinoids [cannabidiol (CBD), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), and their acidic forms]. These classes of compounds are known to contribute to the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritis, and other muscle relaxant-related properties of cannabis. Structurally, phytocannabinoids with an extended side chain at position C3 can activate cannabinoid receptors, promoting inhibition of signaling pathways MAPK and cAMP associated with pain and inflammation. This review discusses C. sativa phytocompounds with muscle relaxant-related properties (inflammation, pain, and arthritis) and their structure-activity relationship, with a view to identifying natural muscle relaxants as possible drug candidates.


Keyword:     Cannabis sativa phytocannabinoids muscle relaxants inflammation pain arthritis

Citation:

Matuka T, Oriola AO, Kar P, Gondwe M, Apalata T, Oyedeji AO. Cannabis sativa Linn.: A Medicinal Plant with Promising Muscle Relaxant-related Constituents. J Appl Pharm Sci. 2026;16(6):6-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/22313354261436144

Copyright: © The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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