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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Functional Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #425901
Research Project: Development of Enhanced Bio-Based Products from Low Value Agricultural Co-Products and Wastes

Location: Functional Foods Research

Title: Neolignans isolated from industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) roots have anti-cancer potential

Author
item Brownstein, Korey
item NIEUKIRK, GRACE - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
item EDWARDS, JACKSON - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
item THOMAS, MARIA - University Of Illinois
item NGUYEN, THU HIEN - University Of Illinois
item DE ALARCON, PEDRO - University Of Illinois
item Vermillion, Karl
item GNANAMONY, MANU - University Of Illinois

Submitted to: Journal of Cannabis Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/27/2025
Publication Date: 8/16/2025
Citation: Brownstein, K.J., Nieukirk, G., Edwards, J., Thomas, M., Nguyen, T., De Alarcon, P., Vermillion, K., Gnanamony, M. 2025. Neolignans isolated from industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) roots have anti-cancer potential. Journal of Cannabis Research. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-025-00316-5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-025-00316-5

Interpretive Summary: Though industrial hemp is more well-known for its cannabinoid content (such as CBD), it contains hundreds of other phytochemicals that may have uses in the functional food and pharmaceutical industry. We isolated a number of large ringed molecules from the roots of industrial hemp using a variety of purification techniques. We report, for the first time, that these large ringed molecules have anti-cancer activity. Utilizing each part of the hemp plant, including the roots, will reduce agricultural waste and provide additional value to growers.

Technical Abstract: Background: The 2018 Farm Bill states that cultivars of Cannabis sativa L. (industrial hemp) are legal for industrial use if total tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations are less than 0.30%. Due to this legislation, hemp cultivars with low total THC have found a wide range of uses, from animal feed to paper production. Although cannabinoids are the most widely studied compounds in hemp, hemp produces numerous other compound classes as well, and these phytochemicals may have uses in the functional food and pharmaceutical industry. Methods: Initial liquid chromatography profiling of hemp root samples revealed a group of uncharacterized peaks, and these peaks were tentatively identified as neolignans by Oribitrap ID-X high resolution mass spectrometer. To further elucidate the structure of these neolignans, we used techniques in liquid-liquid extraction, as well as flash chromatography to isolate them in preparation for NMR analysis. We then tested their inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) in a variety of cancer cell lines. Results and discussion: Four neolignans were isolated from hemp roots and each differed in their molecular weight by 30 daltons. Two of the compounds were identified as dadahols A and B. We tested semi-pure and pure fractions of neolignans against neuroblastoma cell lines CHLA15 and LAN5, hepatoblastoma cell line Hep3B, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma cell line L428. We found that semi-pure fractions containing dadahol A and/or dadahol B had the most activity. We then tested pure dadahol A and dadahol B, and this revealed dadahol A exhibited the lowest IC50 values in all the cell lines.