Although most of the treatments applied today are based on the healing experiences of hemp flowers and leaves, new research is beginning to emerge for the roots of this plant, which also follow a line that began almost 5000 years ago. The earliest references to cannabis use date back to around 2700 BC in China. One of the oldest Chinese medical books, the 'Shinning Pen Tao chin', mentions the use of the roots of this plant as a remedy to calm pain. They used all parts of cannabis for medicinal purposes, but paid special attention to the root, whose process was more elaborate. First they dried them, then they ground them into a powder and then they made a paste with fresh juice from the plant itself. Throughout history, all kinds of homemade preparations have been made with them. The use of the roots to treat skin rashes was also documented in ancient Greek medicine. Also a medical article relates how in India the root was boiled together with other leaves in a poultice to treat skin abrasions. Recent studies pick up on this tradition and highlight its use as an analgesic and sedative for ailments caused by rashes and hemorrhoids. The Chinese themselves not only made pasta with them, but also juices and ammunition: a juice was prepared from the roots to be used as a diuretic or even to stop bleeding in women during childbirth. This method was revised by neurologist Ethan Russo, who concluded that "the juice from the root did have a beneficial effect on placental retention and postpartum hemorrhage." Such was the use of the plant in ancient China that the roots were also used as a component to make gunpowder. Once dried, ground and toasted, they were mixed with bamboo, pine resin and other substances, in order to create rocket ammunition and for a kind of hand grenade used in the military. The processing of cannabis roots This process of drying and grinding the cannabis root has continued to be used today for lip balms, creams or oils . Once crushed in the mortar, the roots are boiled in water with oil so that all the properties of cannabinoids and terrenes dissolve in it. The resultant is separated from the water and frozen and then mixed with beeswax (if you want more consistency) or with spices; For example, if you add black pepper, you can get a home remedy against arthritis and muscle pain. You can also emulate the teachings of ancient Chinese medicine by preparing a tea to help the body . To do this, clean the roots very well, cut them and crush them to powder. Only those plants that have not been treated with chemical fertilizers and nutrients will work. After that, it will be left to dry until it loses moisture. When we want to make an infusion, we take a small amount and boil it in a liter of water. In addition to tea, you can create a kind of homebrew with the root. To do this, its powder is cooked with something that gives it aroma (cinnamon stick, anise ...) in a clay pot for 12 hours. After that, it is cooled, strained and drunk. Furthermore, if it is boiled again afterwards, a dark-colored substance is obtained that is used to make a tincture. And speaking of cleaning inside. Still some tribes today use the roots of marijuana to purge themselves. Curiously, this use of the plant as a purgative was already documented by the Romans. Since then it has remained until today. The case of the Aka is known, a pygmy people of hunters and gatherers that populate the Congo basin. Recently, researchers at Washington State University have studied how people use cannabis as a way to prevent intestinal parasites. Thus, they take some type of cannabis preparation with which to deal with the worms in their body. On the other hand, at the end of the 17th century their use was documented to treat gonorrhea in Indonesia, and later the settlers in America would collect the core and use them to heal venereal diseases. So many references between different times and cultures about the use of roots for medicine have aroused the interest of scientists again, who today can delve much more than before into the properties that have been hidden underground all this time. The hidden and anti-cancer properties of the roots Cannabis roots have medicinal qualities that are very different from those of the rest of the plant, since they do not stand out for their high THC content. Its properties are different and have a lot to do with the terrenes that compose it. In a study in 1971 it was found that the roots contained a group of chemical compounds with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic powers. Researchers found that ethanol extracted from the roots contained the terrene friedelin, an antioxidant known for its ability to protect and promote liver health. But the most intriguing discovery of that study was that of a compound called epifriedelanol , a potent antitumor agent .Some tests carried out in the laboratory with extracts of another similar plant, called 'Phyllanthus watsonii', revealed that the components of this could successfully stop the growth of malignant colon cancer cells . The extract from this Malaysian plant contained friedelin and epifriedelanol, the same ones found in cannabis roots. In this experiment there were also signs of a phenomenon known as apoptosis, which could be translated as cell suicide. Normal cells undergo apoptosis if they are damaged or diseased. However, cancer cells stop responding to signals that tell them to self-destruct and block the process of apoptosis. For this reason, the sensations after having managed to force, thanks to cannabis, the apoptosis of malignant cells in the laboratory are very positive. In addition, the roots contain not only friedelin and epifriedelanol, but also particles called pent acyclic triterpenes. These fat-soluble molecules have also worked in laboratory experiments to trigger apoptosis in cancer cells. Although there is still much study ahead in this field, it seems that the roots of cannabis could be key in the treatment of cancerous tumors. Other benefits of marijuana roots But the powerful elements hidden at the bottom of the plant do not stop there. Alkaloids have been found in cannabis root that could be used to address issues related to menopause, bronchial problems, and diabetes. Furthermore, hemp root contains relatively high levels of CBD , the cannabinoid that is having the most applications in modern medicine. In general, there is a great lack of knowledge among cannabis growers about the range of possibilities offered by the roots once they have fulfilled their function in the growth of the plant. There are many home applications and available to anyone, since it is not difficult to Doan ointment or balm roots at home. And beyond the lips, making these creams and oils with dry roots can be very helpful for skin problems.