preprints.org > biology and life sciences > biochemistry and molecular biology > doi: 10.20944/preprints202106.0532.v1

Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Version 1 : Received: 21 June 2021 / Approved: 22 June 2021 / Online: 22 June 2021 (08:27:11 CEST)

Cannabis Sativa L. has been used for a long time to obtain food, fiber and as a medicinal and psychoactive plant. Today the nutraceutical potential of C. Sativa is being increasingly reappraised; however, C. Sativa roots remain poorly studied, despite citations in the scientific literature. In this direction, we identified and quantified the presence of valuable bioactives (namely β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, friedelin and epi-friedelanol) in the root extracts of C. Sativa, a finding which might pave the way to the exploitation of the therapeutic potential of C. Sativa in all its parts. To facilitate roots harvesting and processing, aeroponic (AP) and aeroponic elicited cultures (AEP), have been set up and compared to soil-cultivated plant (SP): interestingly a considerable overgrowth of the plants - particularly of roots - and a significant increase (up to 20 fold in the case of β-sitosterol) in the total content of the above roots’ bioactive molecules have been observed in AP and AEP. In conclusion aeroponics, an easy, standardised, free of contaminant cultivation tecchnique, allows an ease harvesting/processing of roots along with a greater production of their secondary bioactive metabolites which could be utilized in the formulation of health promoting and health care products.

Cannabis Sativa L.; Aeroponics; Roots; Campesterol; Stigmasterol; β-Sitosterol; Epi-friedelanol; Friedelin

Biology and Life Sciences, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

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