Industrial Cannabis sativa (Hemp or fiber type): Antiviral Activities-An updated Review

Cannabis sativa has been used for thousands of years for recreational, medicinal, or religious purposes. Industrial Cannabis sativa (Hemp of fiber type) has been cultivated for millennia as a source of fiber, food,  medicine and utilization of hemp for  essential oils. Cannabinoids have been shown to have activity against herpes viruses, which are DNA-type viruses, as well as the RNA-type viruses, SARS-COV-2 and HIV/SIV. Tribal people in the Indian Himalayan region used cannabis as a home made herbal medicine for many diseases. During, Covid-19, the infusion of cannabis flower with a morning cup of tea has saved the life of many people. Antiviral activities of some of the most abundant cannabinoids have been documented in silico, in vitro, and in vivo.  Studies of the antiviral activities of the more than 100 less abundant cannabinoids are still needed as are carefully designed clinical trials. Based on the established therapeutic efficacy of CBD and  Λ 9-THC, these and other cannabinoids are under investigation for additional pharmacological activities, including activity as antiviral agents. However, clinical trials and scientific data supporting antiviral activity of cannabis oil against dengue, Covid-19, Nipah virus (NiV), monkeypox, and lumpy skin viral disease is lacking.