Monthly Archives: June 2019

Pharmacokinetics of oral and intravenous cannabidiol and its antidepressant-like effects in chronic mild stress mouse model.

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Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology

“Cannabidiol (CBD) exhibits significant efficacy in mental and inflammatory diseases. Several studies have recently reported on the rapid antidepressant-like effects of CBD, suggesting that CBD is a potential anti-depressant or anti-stress drug. However, CBD is mainly administered orally or by inhalation with poor bioavailability, resulting in high costs. We aim to explore the efficacy of long-term periodic administration of CBD in chronic mild stress (CMS) via two routes and its pharmacokinetics. We treated ICR mice with CBD administered orally and intravenously and then determined the kinetic constants. A single bolus intravenous injection of CBD resulted in a half-life of 3.9 h, mean residence time of 3.3 h, and oral bioavailability of about 8.6%. The antidepressant-like effects of periodically administered CBD on the chronic mild stress mouse model are evaluated. Results demonstrated that such treatment at a high dose of 100 mg/kg CBD (p.o.) or a low dose of 10 mg/kg CBD (i.v.), elicited significant antidepressant-like behavioral effects in forced swim test, following increased mRNA expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and synaptophysin in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. Our findings are expected to provide a reference for the development of intravenous antidepressant formulations of CBD.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31173966

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1382668919300687?via%3Dihub

Medical Marijuana in the Pediatric Population With Epilepsy—What You Should Know

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Journal of Pediatric Health Care Home

“This article discusses the controversial but promising topic of medical marijuana (MM) use in the pediatric population with epilepsy. Included is the importance of MM throughout history, the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, and a literature review that provides anecdotal evidence of the positive effect MM has on children suffering from seizures. From this literature review, dosage for treatment and management is provided. Also discussed is the recent FDA-approved pharmaceutical grade CBD product, Epidiolex, for treatment of two pediatric-onset seizure syndromes, Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet. Clinical implications regarding adverse side effects of MM use are also discussed. The aim of this article is to arm providers with contemporary knowledge on the risks and benefits of MM use in the pediatric population with epilepsy, which may boost their skills and confidence in educating and advocating for children with seizures. This novel, ever-changing medication is in the forefront of history and the news, making this topic especially important for review.”

 https://www.jpedhc.org/article/S0891-5245(18)30699-0/fulltext 

l-α-Lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) aggravates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury via a GPR55/ROCK-dependent pathway.

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Pharmacology Research & Perspectives banner

“The phospholipid l-α-lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI), an endogenous ligand for GPR55, is elevated in patients with acute coronary syndrome, and a GPR55 antagonist cannabidiol (CBD) reduces experimental ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31149342

https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/prp2.487

The pharmacological reduction of hippocampal neurogenesis attenuates the protective effects of cannabidiol on cocaine voluntary intake.

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Addiction Biology banner“The administration of cannabidiol has shown promising evidence in the treatment of some neuropsychiatric disorders, including cocaine addiction. However, little information is available as to the mechanisms by which cannabidiol reduces drug use and compulsive seeking.

We investigated the role of adult hippocampal neurogenesis in reducing cocaine voluntary intake produced by repeated cannabidiol treatment in mice.

Cannabidiol (20 mg/kg) reduced cocaine self-administration behaviour acquisition and total cocaine intake and enhanced adult hippocampal neurogenesis.

The present study confirms that adult hippocampal neurogenesis is one of the mechanisms by which cannabidiol lowers cocaine reinforcement and demonstrates the functional implication of adult hippocampal neurogenesis in cocaine voluntary consumption in mice.

Such findings highlight the possible use of cannabidiol for developing new pharmacotherapies to manage cocaine use disorders.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31162770

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/adb.12778

Bipolar disorder and the endocannabinoid system.

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 Image result for acta neuropsychiatrica“Bipolar disorder (BD) is a debilitating, lifelong neuropsychiatric illness characterised by unsteady mood states which vacillate from (hypo)mania to depression. Despite the availability of pharmaceutical agents which can be effective in ameliorating the acute affective symptoms and prevent episodic relapse, BD is inadequately treated in a subset of patients.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is known to exert neuromodulatory effects on other neurotransmitter systems critical in governing emotions. Several studies ranging from clinical to molecular, as well as anecdotal evidence, have placed a spotlight on the potential role of the ECS in the pathophysiology of BD. In this perspective, we present advantages and disadvantages of cannabis use in the management of illness course of BD and provide mechanistic insights into how this system might contribute to the pathophysiology of BD.

RESULTS:

We highlight the putative role of selective cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) agonists in BD and briefly discuss findings which provide a rationale for targeting the ECS to assuage the symptoms of BD. Further, data encourage basic and clinical studies to determine how cannabis and cannabinoids (CBs) can affect mood and to investigate emerging CB-based options as probable treatment approaches.

CONCLUSION:

The probable role of the ECS has been almost neglected in BD; however, from data available which suggest a role of ECS in mood control, it is justified to support conducting comprehensive studies to determine whether ECS manipulation could positively affect BD. Based on the limited available data, we suggest that activation of CB2 may stabilise mood in this disorder.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31159897

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/acta-neuropsychiatrica/article/bipolar-disorder-and-the-endocannabinoid-system/0C3191AF7BECA6D5A6EBED3C94CAA57B

Should Oncologists Recommend Cannabis?

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“Cannabis is a useful botanical with a wide range of therapeutic potential. Global prohibition over the past century has impeded the ability to study the plant as medicine. However, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been developed as a stand-alone pharmaceutical initially approved for the treatment of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in 1986. The indication was expanded in 1992 to include treatment of anorexia in patients with the AIDS wasting syndrome. Hence, if the dominant cannabinoid is available as a schedule III prescription medication, it would seem logical that the parent botanical would likely have similar therapeutic benefits. The system of cannabinoid receptors and endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) has likely developed to help us modulate our response to noxious stimuli. Phytocannabinoids also complex with these receptors, and the analgesic effects of cannabis are perhaps the best supported by clinical evidence. Cannabis and its constituents have also been reported to be useful in assisting with sleep, mood, and anxiety. Despite significant in vitro and animal model evidence supporting the anti-cancer activity of individual cannabinoids-particularly THC and cannabidiol (CBD)-clinical evidence is absent. A single intervention that can assist with nausea, appetite, pain, mood, and sleep is certainly a valuable addition to the palliative care armamentarium. Although many healthcare providers advise against the inhalation of a botanical as a twenty-first century drug-delivery system, evidence for serious harmful effects of cannabis inhalation is scant and a variety of other methods of ingestion are currently available from dispensaries in locales where patients have access to medicinal cannabis. Oncologists and palliative care providers should recommend this botanical remedy to their patients to gain first-hand evidence of its therapeutic potential despite the paucity of results from randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials to appreciate that it is both safe and effective and really does not require a package insert.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31161270

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11864-019-0659-9

Biosynthesis of cannflavins A and B from Cannabis sativa L.

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Phytochemistry

“In addition to the psychoactive constituents that are typically associated with Cannabis sativa L., there exist numerous other specialized metabolites in this plant that are believed to contribute to its medicinal versatility. This study focused on two such compounds, known as cannflavin A and cannflavin B. These prenylated flavonoids specifically accumulate in C. sativa and are known to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory activity in various animal cell models. However, almost nothing is known about their biosynthesis. Using a combination of phylogenomic and biochemical approaches, an aromatic prenyltransferase from C. sativa (CsPT3) was identified that catalyzes the regiospecific addition of either geranyl diphosphate (GPP) or dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) to the methylated flavone, chrysoeriol, to produce cannflavins A and B, respectively. Further evidence is presented for an O-methyltransferase (CsOMT21) encoded within the C. sativa genome that specifically converts the widespread plant flavone known as luteolin to chrysoeriol, both of which accumulate in C. sativa. These results therefore imply the following reaction sequence for cannflavins A and B biosynthesis: luteolin ► chrysoeriol ► cannflavin A and cannflavin B. Taken together, the identification of these two unique enzymes represent a branch point from the general flavonoid pathway in C. sativa and offer a tractable route towards metabolic engineering strategies that are designed to produce these two medicinally relevant Cannabis compounds.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31151063

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031942218303819?via%3Dihub

“U of G Researchers First to Unlock Access to Pain Relief Potential of Cannabis”  https://news.uoguelph.ca/2019/07/u-of-g%E2%80%AFresearchers-first-to-unlock-access-to-pain%E2%80%AFrelief%E2%80%AFpotential-of-cannabis%E2%80%AF/

“Scientists unlock the secrets of marijuana’s pain-relief potential, study says” HTTPS://WWW.NEWSOBSERVER.COM/NEWS/NATION-WORLD/NATIONAL/ARTICLE233045517.HTML

Cannabinoid receptors as therapeutic targets for autoimmune diseases: where do we stand?

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Drug Discovery Today

“Described during the late 1980s and 1990s, cannabinoid receptors (CB1R and CB2R) are G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) activated by endogenous ligands and cannabinoid drug compounds, such as Δ9-THC. Whereas CB1R has a role in the regulation of neurotransmission in different brain regions and mainly mediates the psychoactive effects of cannabinoids, CB2R is found predominantly in the cells and tissues of the immune system and mediates anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory processes. Studies have demonstrated that CB1R and CB2R can affect the activation of T cells, B cells, monocytes, and microglial cells, inhibiting proinflammatory cytokine expression and upregulating proresolution mediators. Thus, in this review, we summarize the mechanisms by which CBRs interact with the autoimmune environment and the potential to suppress the development and activation of autoreactive cells. Finally, we highlight how the modulation of CB1R and CB2R is advantageous in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31158514

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359644618304847?via%3Dihub

Cannabidiol, cannabinol and their combinations act as peripheral analgesics in a rat model of myofascial pain.

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Archives of Oral Biology

“This study investigated whether local intramuscular injection of non-psychoactive cannabinoids, cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), cannabichromene (CBC) and their combinations can decrease nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced masticatory muscle sensitization in female rats.

RESULTS:

In behavioral experiments, CBD (5 mg/ml) or CBN (1 mg/ml) decreased NGF-induced mechanical sensitization. Combinations of CBD/CBN induced a longer-lasting reduction of mechanical sensitization than either compound alone. No significant change in mechanical withdrawal threshold was observed in the contralateral masseter muscles and no impairment of motor function was found with the inverted screen test after any of the treatments. Consistent with behavioral results, CBD (5 mg/ml), CBN (1 mg/ml) and the combination of CBD/CBN (1:1 mg/ml) increased the mechanical threshold of masseter muscle mechanoreceptors. However, combining CBD/CBN (5:1 mg/ml) at a higher ratio reduced the duration of this effect. This may indicate an inhibitory effect of higher concentrations of CBD on CBN.

CONCLUSIONS:

These results suggest that peripheral application of these non-psychoactive cannabinoids may provide analgesic relief for chronic muscle pain disorders such as temporomandibular disorders and fibromyalgia without central side effects.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31158702

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003996919302249?via%3Dihub

Countering the Modern Metabolic Disease Rampage With Ancestral Endocannabinoid System Alignment.

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 Image result for frontiers in endocrinology

“When primitive vertebrates evolved from ancestral members of the animal kingdom and acquired complex locomotive and neurological toolsets, a constant supply of energy became necessary for their continued survival. To help fulfill this need, the endocannabinoid (eCB) system transformed drastically with the addition of the cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1R) to its gene repertoire. This established an eCB/CB1R signaling mechanism responsible for governing the whole organism’s energy balance, with its activation triggering a shift toward energy intake and storage in the brain and the peripheral organs (i.e., liver and adipose).

Although this function was of primal importance for humans during their pre-historic existence as hunter-gatherers, it became expendable following the successive lifestyle shifts of the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions. Modernization of the world has further increased food availability and decreased energy expenditure, thus shifting the eCB/CB1R system into a state of hyperactive deregulated signaling that contributes to the 21st century metabolic disease pandemic.

Studies from the literature supporting this perspective come from a variety of disciplines, including biochemistry, human medicine, evolutionary/comparative biology, anthropology, and developmental biology. Consideration of both biological and cultural evolution justifies the design of improved pharmacological treatments for obesity and Type 2 diabetes (T2D) that focus on peripheral CB1R antagonism. Blockade of peripheral CB1Rs, which universally promote energy conservation across the vertebrate lineage, represents an evolutionary medicine strategy for clinical management of present-day metabolic disorders.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31156558

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2019.00311/full