Insecticidal effect of Cannabis

Currently, there is a need for the development of vector insect control products that are ecologically viable, utilizing active principles available in nature. Natural compounds with insecticidal potential already identified in Cannabis are promising prospects for the control and management of vector arthropods of diseases. In this context, the work aims to investigate possible disparities in the toxicity effects of Cannabis in different formulations and at different stages of the vectors' life. This is a systematic review. Experimental studies describing the toxic effects of Cannabis on eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult vector insects were included. Articles in which the insect was characterized as a mechanical vector, literature review research, and ethnobotanical studies were excluded. The study revealed the potential insecticidal effect of Cannabis when applied in different formulations on Ctenocephalides felis felis, Aedes albopictus, Anopheles stephensi, Anopheles gambiae, and Culex quinquefasciatus at different stages of development. Cannabis proved to be a promising plant in terms of mortality and evidenced effects on insect fertility, birth rates, and adult emergence. The study revealed a potential insecticidal effect of Cannabis. However, further investigations are crucial to elucidate the role of this plant in vector insect control strategies.