Study: Cannabinoids Limit Neuroblastoma Cell Proliferation

Posted on May 3, 2016 by David

“The administration of the cannabinoids THC and CBD limit cancer activity in neuroblastoma cells in culture and in animals, according to preclinical data published in the journal Current Oncology.

Neuroblastoma is an aggressive form of childhood cancer that often goes inadequately addressed by conventional treatment.

Investigators reported that both types of cannabinoids reduced neuroblastoma cell viability, but that CBD demonstrated superior anti-cancer ability. The study is the first to document the anti-cancer properties of CBD in this particular cancerous cell line.

They concluded, “Our findings about the activity of CBD in nbl (neuroblastoma) support and extend previous findings about the anti-tumor activities of CBD in other tumors and suggest that cannabis extracts enriched in CBD and not in THC could be suitable for the development of novel non-psychotropic therapeutic strategies in nbl.” http://enewspf.com/2016/04/21/study-cannabinoids-limit-neuroblastoma-cell-proliferation/

“In vitro and in vivo efficacy of non-psychoactive cannabidiol in neuroblastoma” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4791143/?report=reader

Synthetic Cannabinoids versus Natural Marijuana: A Comparison of Expectations

Posted on May 3, 2016 by David

“A new study evaluated the expected outcomes of both synthetic and natural marijuana.

An article entitled “Comparison of Outcome Expectancies for Synthetic Cannabinoids and Botanical Marijuana,” from The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, studied the expected outcomes of both synthetic and natural marijuana.

186 adults who had previously used both synthetic and natural marijuana, as well as 181 who had previously used only botanical marijuana, were surveyed about their expected outcomes of using either type of cannabinoid.

The results showed that the expected negative effects were significantly higher for synthetic marijuana than for natural marijuana across both categories of use history.

Despite the more commonly expected negative effects of synthetic cannabinoids, the most cited reasons for using these compounds were wider availability, avoiding a positive drug test, curiosity, perceived legality, and cost.

Authors concluded, “Given growing public acceptance of recreational and medical marijuana, coupled with negative perceptions and increasing regulation of synthetic cannabinoid compounds, botanical marijuana is likely to remain more available and more popular than synthetic cannabinoids.”

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160427081800.htm

“Comparison of outcome expectancies for synthetic cannabinoids and botanical marijuana.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26910181

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New review sheds light on cannabinoids anticancer mechanisms

Posted on May 2, 2016 by David

cannabinoids, cancer

“The palliative effects of cannabinoids on cancer-related symptoms are well established.

In fact, many drugs comprised of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or its synthetic analogues are currently approved in Canada for use in the management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, pain relief, and appetite stimulation.

While this may provide adequate treatment to the symptoms endured by cancer patients, what if cannabis can all together treat and cure cancer?

Latest discoveries on cannabinoids and their anticancer properties focus on their molecular mechanisms of action and have been discussed in a recently published review article in Current Oncology, a peer-reviewed journal (Velasco, Sanchez, & Guzman, 2016).

It is important to begin by understanding that our body possesses an endogenous cannabinoid system.”

https://news.liftcannabis.ca/2016/04/21/new-review-sheds-light-cannabinoids-anticancer-mechanisms/

“Anticancer mechanisms of cannabinoids” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4791144/

Neuroscientists discover previously unknown function of cannabinoid receptor

Posted on May 2, 2016 by David

“Previously Unknown Function of a Cannabinoid Receptor Identified. Study could improve our insights into brain diseases.” http://neurosciencenews.com/cb2-cannabinoid-receptor-hippocampus-4147/

“In the brain, there is a delicate interplay of signaling substances and cellular activity. Scientists have now identified another key player within this ensemble. In a laboratory study they found that the ‘cannabinoid type 2 receptor’ influences information processing inside the hippocampus. The research results might help advance our understanding of schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s, say the authors.” https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160502111228.htm

“The cannabinoid type 2 receptor – also called “CB2 receptor” – is a special membrane protein. Its function is to receive chemical signals that control cellular activity. “Until now, this receptor was considered part of the immune system without function in nerve cells. However, our study shows that it also plays an important role in the signal processing of the brain,” explains Professor Dietmar Schmitz, Speaker for the DZNE-Site Berlin and Director of the Neuroscience Research Center of the Charité (NWFZ/NeuroCure).” https://scienceblog.com/483935/neuroscientists-discover-previously-unknown-function-cannabinoid-receptor/

Marijuana is medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association concludes

Posted on April 30, 2016 by David

“Marijuana is one hundred percent a form of medicine, researchers conclude in a bombshell series of reports released by the Journal of the American Medical Association. Cannabis has been used medicinally for thousands of years” http://blog.sfgate.com/smellthetruth/2015/06/23/marijuana-is-medicine-journal-of-the-american-medical-association-concludes/

Marijuana is medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association concludes

“Cannabinoids for Medical Use. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.” http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2338251

ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM: A multi-facet therapeutic target.

Posted on April 19, 2016 by David

Image result for Curr Clin Pharmacol.

“Cannabis sativa is also popularly known as marijuana. It is being cultivated and used by man for recreational and medicinal purposes from many centuries.

Study of cannabinoids was at bay for very long time and its therapeutic value could not be adequately harnessed due to its legal status as proscribed drug in most of the countries.

The research of drugs acting on endocannabinoid system has seen many ups and down in recent past. Presently, it is known that endocannabinoids has role in pathology of many disorders and they also serve “protective role” in many medical conditions.

Several diseases like emesis, pain, inflammation, multiple sclerosis, anorexia, epilepsy, glaucoma, schizophrenia, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, obesity, metabolic syndrome related diseases, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and Tourette’s syndrome could possibly be treated by drugs modulating endocannabinoid system.

Presently, cannabinoid receptor agonists like nabilone and dronabinol are used for reducing the chemotherapy induced vomiting. Sativex (cannabidiol and THC combination) is approved in the UK, Spain and New Zealand to treat spasticity due to multiple sclerosis. In US it is under investigation for cancer pain, another drug Epidiolex (cannabidiol) is also under investigation in US for childhood seizures. Rimonabant, CB1 receptor antagonist appeared as a promising anti-obesity drug during clinical trials but it also exhibited remarkable psychiatric side effect profile. Due to which the US Food and Drug Administration did not approve Rimonabant in US. It sale was also suspended across the EU in 2008.

Recent discontinuation of clinical trial related to FAAH inhibitor due to occurrence of serious adverse events in the participating subjects could be discouraging for the research fraternity. Despite of some mishaps in clinical trials related to drugs acting on endocannabinoid system, still lot of research is being carried out to explore and establish the therapeutic targets for both cannabinoid receptor agonists and antagonists.

One challenge is to develop drugs that target only cannabinoid receptors in a particular tissue and another is to invent drugs that acts selectively on cannabinoid receptors located outside the blood brain barrier. Besides this, development of the suitable dosage forms with maximum efficacy and minimum adverse effects is also warranted.

Another angle to be introspected for therapeutic abilities of this group of drugs is non-CB1 and non-CB2 receptor targets for cannabinoids.

In order to successfully exploit the therapeutic potential of endocannabinoid system, it is imperative to further characterize the endocannabinoid system in terms of identification of the exact cellular location of cannabinoid receptors and their role as “protective” and “disease inducing substance”, time-dependent changes in the expression of cannabinoid receptors.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27086601

Cannabis Use Linked to Better Social Skills in Psychosis

Posted on March 23, 2016 by David

“Psychosis patients who have used cannabis have greater premorbid social skills than patients with psychosis who have never used the drug, data from five European countries suggest.

Laura Ferraro, a PhD student in psychiatry at the University of Palermo, in Italy, and colleagues found that lifetime cannabis use was associated with significantly increased improvements in premorbid social adjustment among psychosis patients.”

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/860664

Smoking marijuana reduces cancer risk

Posted on February 16, 2016 by David

“Marijuana reduces cancer risk and kills existing tumors”

“This may be hard to believe — as we’re fairly accustomed to the notion that inhaling smoke is always bad for your health — but research shows smoking marijuana actually decreases the risk for developing lung cancer.

According to multiple study findings published on Cancer.gov, “Cannabinoids appear to kill tumor cells but do not affect their nontransformed counterparts and may even protect them from cell death.”

Dr. Donald Tashkin, professor emeritus of medicine at UCLA, also recently revealed to LA Weekly that after 30 years of studying the effects of marijuana smoke on lung function, he did not find any association between lung cancer and smoking weed.

Smoking marijuana doesn’t lead to impaired lung function either

Tashkin also found smoking marijuana does not lead to impaired lung function even after years of habitual use.”

More: http://extract.suntimes.com/information-resources/10/153/892/smoking-marijuana-reduces-cancer-risk

“Cannabis has been shown to kill cancer cells in the laboratory. Cannabinoids appear to kill tumor cells but do not affect their nontransformed counterparts and may even protect them from cell death.” http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/cannabis-pdq#section/all

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/cancer/

Granite City Man Claims Cannabis Oil Cured His ‘Incurable’ Cancer

Posted on January 26, 2016 by David

Darren Miller looks over medical records showing he is cancer-free just months after being diagnosed with "incurable, inoperable" cancer. Miller claims the use of cannabis oil completely wiped out the cancer in his system. (KMOX/Brett Blume)

“Darren Miller is ready to enjoy his second chance at life.

The 50-year-old Granite City man is putting out the word that a steady diet of cannabis oil coupled with chemotherapy wiped out what doctors had only months earlier diagnosed as “incurable, inoperable” lung and pericardial heart sac cancer.

He’d basically been given about a year to live, with chemo.

“Glad to be here, glad to be anywhere with the diagnosis I had,” Miller said by way of introduction during a sitdown with KMOX News.

He carried with him a stack of medical documents to back his claim that he’s been given a clean bill of health just months after being handed a death sentence.

“I have the medical records to show the evidence of what I’m saying,” Miller said. “Now it’s going to be interpreted differently by people everywhere, but I’ve researched and there are thousands of testimonies that you can go on the internet and see every day people doing this and it’s been going on for years.”” http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2016/01/22/granite-city-man-claims-cannabis-oil-killed-his-incurable-cancer/

“Granite City Man Claims Cannabis Oil Killed His “Incurable” Cancer” http://stlouis.suntimes.com/stl-news/7/139/238717/granite-city-man-claims-cannabis-oil-killed-his-incurable-cancer

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/cancer/

The Use of Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Headache

Posted on January 11, 2016 by David

“Although marijuana is principally used as a psychoactive substance, it has also been used for medical and religious purposes for over 2000 years.

This review concluded that there was evidence of a positive and moderate short-term trend toward a reduction of pain.

There are a number of reasons why naturally occurring cannabis or cannabinoid drugs might have a pharmacologic effect on headache..

It has been suggested that one explanation for migraine and other headache disorders may be an underlying endocannabinoid deficiency.

…cluster headache attacks were relieved within 5 minutes by the inhalation of marijuana.

Subsequent treatment with dronabinol (THC) 5 mg orally also provided the patient relief within 15 minutes.”

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/738529_2

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/headachemigraine/