Characterization and antimicrobial activity of lignin-derived compounds in ground hurd tissue of cannabis sativa L. (hemp) cultivars

Authors: Lakes, Jourdan; SADIK, ANJAM - University Of Kentucky; PEARCE, ROBERT - University Of Kentucky; KNUTSON, BARBARA - University Of Kentucky; RANKIN, STEPHEN - University Of Kentucky; LYNN, BERT - University Of Kentucky; Flythe, Michael

Submitted to: Natural Product Communications
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/11/2026
Publication Date: 4/6/2026
Citation: Lakes, J.E., Sadik, A., Pearce, R.C., Knutson, B., Rankin, S.E., Lynn, B.C., Flythe, M.D. 2026. Characterization and antimicrobial activity of lignin-derived compounds in ground hurd tissue of cannabis sativa L. (hemp) cultivars. Natural Product Communications. 21(4):1-12. https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578X261436515.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578X261436515

Interpretive Summary: Industrial hemp is used in agriculture for its fiber, sometimes as bedding material. However, it may also be a new source of antimicrobials creating added financial benefit for hemp growers and fiscal/health benefits for ranchers and their livestock in America. This study characterized the compounds present within the inner woody portion of hemp's stems (called hurd) and explored the antimicrobial potential of a few of those compounds. The compounds identified were generally present in all the hemp cultivars, but the amount of each varied greatly. The antimicrobial activity of three compounds, and the ground hurd material, was assessed against a representative bacteria, which is a wasteful organism residing in the rumens of cattle that limits weight gain potential. The ground hurd material itself was not antimicrobial under the present testing conditions. However, one of the compounds (vanillin) was antimicrobial. This work identified hemp hurd as a potential source of plant-derived antimicrobials creating new uses for hemp in agriculture.

Technical Abstract: Hurd from 10 fiber (and grain) Cannabis sativa L. cultivars was processed using an aqueous ethanol solvent system (ethanosolv) and anlayzed via gas chromatography - mass spectrometry for the identification and characterization of their lignin-derivatives. Of the 27 compounds identified across the cultivars there were a few ethylated derivatives, organic acids, and dimers, but the majority of the peaks corresponded to monomeric derivatives. There were approximately equal portions of G- and S-units with substantially fewer H-units. Several of these derivatives were present across cultivars but their abundance was varied, which indicated the possibility of cultivar or spatiotemporally mediated differences. Generally, syringaldehyde, vanillin, and syringic acid were the most prominent lignin-derivatives, whereas vanillic acid and p-coumaric acid were less prominent, and the abundance of syringaresinol was largely variable across cultivars. Antimicrobial activity of both the hurd material and three of the identified monomeric derivatives was assessed using a combination of solid (hurd) and liquid medium (monomers) bioassays, against Acetoanaerobium sticklandii SR, a wasteful amino acid fermenting Clostridia present within the rumens of cattle. Vanillin exhibited antimicrobial activity with an inhibitory concentration of 1 mg mL-1, whereas the ground hurd material itself did not appear antimicrobial under the testing conditions. The current work primarily contributes to the characterization and identification of lignin-derivatives in hemp hurd across fiber and fiber/grain cultivars with secondary contributions identifying hemp hurd as a potential source of plant0derived antimicrobials.