Beyond cannabis: unlocking medicine's hidden plant relatives

The Cannabaceae family—which includes Cannabis, Humulus (hops), and nine other genera—represents a largely untapped frontier in medicinal plant research. While Cannabis and Humulus have dominated scientific attention and investment, lesser-known relatives like Trema, Celtis, and Aphananthe have been used successfully in traditional medicine for centuries but remain virtually ignored by modern researchers. This paper reveals a critical research gap: the majority of the Cannabaceae family's pharmaceutical potential remains unexplored, representing a significant opportunity cost in the quest for new therapeutic options.

The neglected genera within Cannabaceae are rich sources of flavonoids, polyphenols, triterpenoids, and alkaloids—compounds with known medicinal properties that could offer safer, non-psychoactive alternatives to THC-based treatments. These plants have documented traditional uses for various health conditions, yet their active compounds have never been systematically studied in clinical trials. By redirecting research attention toward these underexplored species, scientists could potentially discover novel treatments with fewer adverse effects than current cannabis-based medicines, while also honoring the traditional knowledge systems that have sustained these practices for generations.

The authors propose a comprehensive roadmap to rebalance research priorities across all 11 Cannabaceae genera. Rather than continuing to concentrate resources solely on Cannabis, they advocate for a multidisciplinary approach that applies modern pharmacological methods to investigate the phytochemistry and bioactivity of neglected relatives. This strategic shift could accelerate drug discovery, reduce reliance on psychoactive cannabinoids, and unlock the full therapeutic potential of an entire plant family currently fractured between intense focus and profound neglect.