“Epidemics require a paradigm shift in thinking about all possible solutions. The rapidly changing sociopolitical marijuana landscape provides a foundation for the therapeutic development of medicinal cannabidiol to address the current opioid abuse crisis.”
“A male driver was checked during a traffic stop.
A blood sample was collected 35min later and contained 7.3ng/mL THC, 3.5ng/mL 11-hydroxy-THC and 44.6ng/mL 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC. The subject claimed to have used two commercially produced products topically that contained 1.7ng and 102ng THC per mg, respectively. In an experiment, three volunteers (25, 26 and 34 years) applied both types of salves over a period of 3days every 2-4h. The application was extensive (50-100cm2). Each volunteer applied the products to different parts of the body (neck, arm/leg and trunk, respectively). After the first application blood and urine samples of the participants were taken every 2-4h until 15h after the last application (overall n=10 urine and n=10 blood samples, respectively, for each participant).
All of these blood and urine samples were tested negative for THC, 11-hydroxy-THC and 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC by a GC-MS method (LoD (THC)=0.40ng/mL; LoD (11-hydroxy-THC)=0.28ng/mL; LoD (THC-COOH)=1.6ng/mL;. LoD (THC-COOH in urine)=1.2ng/mL).
According to our studies and further literature research on in vitro testing of transdermal uptake of THC, the exclusive application of (these two) topically applied products did not produce cannabinoid findings in blood or urine.”
“For centuries, hashish and marihuana, both derived from the Indian hemp Cannabis sativa L., have been used for their medicinal, as well as, their psychotropic effects.
These effects are associated with the phytocannabinoids which are oxygen containing C21 aromatic hydrocarbons found in Cannabis sativa L.
To date, over 120 phytocannabinoids have been isolated from Cannabis.
For many years, it was assumed that the beneficial effects of the phytocannabinoids were mediated by the cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. However, today we know that the picture is much more complex, with the same phytocannabinoid acting at multiple targets.
This contribution focuses on the molecular pharmacology of the phytocannabinoids, including Δ9-THC and CBD, from the prospective of the targets at which these important compounds act.”
“Cannabidiol (CBD) is a naturally occurring constituent of the marijuana plant.
In the past few years, there has been great interest in the therapeutic effects of isolated CBD and it is currently being explored for numerous disease conditions (e.g., pain, epilepsy, cancer, various drug dependencies). However, CBD remains a Schedule I drug on the U.S. Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
Despite its status, there are no well-controlled data available regarding its abuse liability.
Overall, CBD did not display any signals of abuse liability at the doses tested and these data may help inform U.S. regulatory decisions regarding CBD schedule on the CSA.”
“Cannabis sativa (marijuana) is a fibrous flowering plant that produces an abundant variety of molecules, some with psychoactive effects. At least 4% of the world’s adult population uses cannabis annually, making it one of the most frequently used illicit drugs in the world. The psychoactive effects of cannabis are mediated primarily through cannabinoid receptor (CBR) subtypes. The prevailing view is that CB1Rs are mainly expressed in the central neurons, whereas CB2Rs are predominantly expressed in peripheral immune cells. However, this traditional view has been challenged by emerging strong evidence that shows CB2Rs are moderately expressed and function in specific brain areas. New evidence has demonstrated that brain CB2Rs modulate animal drug-seeking behaviors, suggesting that these receptors may exist in brain regions that regulate drug addiction. Recently, we further confirmed that functional CB2Rs are expressed in mouse ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons and that the activation of VTA CB2Rs reduces neuronal excitability and cocaine-seeking behavior. In addition, CB2R-mediated modulation of hippocampal CA3 neuronal excitability and network synchronization has been reported. Here, we briefly summarize recent lines of evidence showing how CB2Rs modulate function and pathophysiology in the CNS.”
“The leading cause of irreversible blindness is glaucoma, a disease normally characterized by the development of ocular hypertension and consequent damage to the optic nerve at its point of retinal attachment. This results in a narrowing of the visual field, and eventually results in blindness.
A number of drugs are available to lower intraocular pressure (IOP), but, occasionally, they are ineffective or have intolerable side-effects for some patients and can lose efficacy with chronic administration.
The smoking of marijuana has decreased IOP in glaucoma patients. Cannabinoid drugs, therefore, are thought to have significant potential for pharmaceutical development.
The discovery of ocular cannabinoid receptors implied an explanation for the induction of hypotension by topical cannabinoid applications, and has stimulated a new phase of ophthalmic cannabinoid research.
Featured within these investigations is the possibility that at least some cannabinoids may ameliorate optic neuronal damage through suppression of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor hyperexcitability, stimulation of neural microcirculation, and the suppression of both apoptosis and damaging free radical reactions, among other mechanisms.
Separation of therapeutic actions from side-effects now seems possible through a diverse array of novel chemical, pharmacological, and formulation strategies.”
“In ancient medicine, extracts of the marijuana plant Cannabis sativa were used against diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Today, our knowledge of the ingredients of the Cannabis plant has remarkably advanced enabling us to use a variety of herbal and synthetic cannabinoid (CB) compounds to study the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a physiologic entity that controls tissue homeostasis with the help of endogenously produced CBs and their receptors.
After many anecdotal reports suggested beneficial effects of Cannabis in GI disorders, it was not surprising to discover that the GI tract accommodates and expresses all the components of the ECS.
The following review summarizes important and recent findings on the role of CB receptors and their ligands in the GI tract with emphasis on GI disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer.”
“Cannabinoids both increase urine output and decrease urinary frequency in human subjects. However, these effects have not been systematically evaluated in intact mice, a species commonly used to evaluate the effects of novel cannabinoids.
The present studies investigated whether cannabinoid agonists reliably produce diuresis in mice at doses comparable to those that produce other cannabinoid effects and, further, identified the receptors that may mediate these effects.
These findings suggest that mice may provide a model for understanding the mixed effects of marijuana on urine output, as described in clinical studies, and aid in the development of targeted cannabinoid based therapies for bladder dysfunction.
Clinical studies have reported beneficial effects of smoked or aerosolized cannabis on bladder dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis, primarily by decreasing urinary frequency in these subjects following marijuana use. These reports contrast with the earlier clinical reports demonstrating increase in urine output after cannabis administration.
Our findings in mice demonstrate a dose related increase or decrease in urine output, providing a platform for understanding the mixed effects on urine output observed with marijuana in various clinical studies. As noted earlier in a study with rats, the diuresis induced by THC in mice also is weakly naturetic compared to furosemide and further investigations in this area may yield a new, clinically beneficial diuretic.
In contrast, our data suggest that development of peripherally selective cannabinoid CB1 agonists may be beneficial for patients suffering from bladder dysfunction.”
“The marijuana plant Cannabis sativa and its derivatives, cannabinoids, have grown increasingly popular as a potential therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Studies have shown that modulation of the endocannabinoid system, which regulates various functions in the body and has been shown to play a key role in the pathogenesis of IBD, has a therapeutic effect in mouse colitis.
The plant Cannabis sativa has been used in medicinal practice for thousands of years. Anecdotal reports have suggested a therapeutic role for cannabis in the treatment of IBD for hundreds of years. A case report from 1990 describes patients with IBD maintaining remission of disease via cannabis use. Cannabinoids appear to have a clear role in gut pathology and offer a potential target for drug intervention in the treatment of IBD. Cannabis seems to be of symptomatic benefit to patients often refractory to conventional medicines.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5193087/
“Recent research has indicated that cannabinoid-based therapies might be effective in ameliorating the most important symptoms of COPD.”
“Researchers have observed that cannabinoids can be bronchodilatory, immunosuppressive, and anti-inflammatory, suggesting that cannabinoid-based therapies might offer safer and more effective treatment options for COPD.”
“Additionally, studies have suggested that cannabinoids might help promote better sleep, support the immune system, work as an expectorant, relieve pain, and have anti-microbial properties.”
https://copdnewstoday.com/2016/12/08/inmed-announces-progress-copd-treatment-using-cannabinoids/
http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/copd-chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease/
