ABSTRACT
The passage of the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 establishes a marked shift in United States federal policy toward the cultivation and utilization of hemp, while distinguishing it from the drug varieties of cannabis. The dominant phytocannabinoid in agricultural hemp is cannabidiol (CBD), which is presently being researched for its antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anticonvulsant, and cytoprotective properties without any abuse potential or psychotoxicity. Hemp is a major crop in the production of fiber, food, and fuels and has been used in antiquity across many cultures to produce textiles, rope, and paper. Hemp is a bio-accumulator and has been examined as an important crop in soil restoration and regenerative agriculture. The wide biological diversity of phytonutrients present in the hemp plant, extraction of a broad-spectrum of constituents is necessary to achieve the greatest bioactivity. Beyond botanical morphology or classifying cannabis plant chemotypes based on cannabinoid levels, assessing content of terpenoids represents a novel chemotaxonomic approach.
