New health benefits associated with hempseed oil

Hemp is a crop full of oils with potential health benefits, according to a new study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

A derivative of cannabis (marijuana), hemp has been used for millennia in textiles, medicine and food, by people all over the world.

Despite this, hempseed has been banned in North America since the 1930s, when all varieties of cannabis were made illegal due to its tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content. THC is the compound that induces the "high" in recreational use of cannabis.

However, hemp with low THC content (0.3%) has been legalized by the European Union, and the global economic market for low-THC hemp - used in medicines, papers and fabrics - is valued at $100-200 million annually.

Researchers analyzed a portion of hempseed oil to see what beneficial qualities it may have. They found that some of its components are effective at promoting good health. These include sterols, aliphatic alcohols and linolenic acids.

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Cure for baldness? Hair-follicle-generating stem cells bring hope

According to the American Hair Loss Association, two-thirds of men will experience hair loss by the age of 35. But women are also affected, making up 40% of all hair loss sufferers. Affecting self-image and emotional well-being, the condition has been a difficult one to treat. But a new study brings hope - in the form of human hair-follicle-generating stem cells.

Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have published results of their study in Nature, where they describe the method by which they were able to convert adult cells into epithelial stem cells (EpSCs).

Although using stem cells to regrow hair follicles has been a potential technique for combatting baldness, until now, nobody has been able to produce enough of these cells.

The team says they are the first to achieve this result in either humans or mice.

Led by Dr. Xiaowei "George" Xu, associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania, the scientists started their research by using human skin cells called dermal fibroblasts.

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