“The herb Cannabis sativa (C. sativa) has been used in China and on the Indian subcontinent for thousands of years as a medicine. However, since it was brought to the UK and then the rest of the western world in the late 19th century, its use has been a source of controversy. Indeed, its psychotropic side effects are well reported but only relatively recently has scientific endeavour begun to find valuable uses for either the whole plant or its individual components. Here, we discuss evidence describing the endocannabinoid system, its endogenous and exogenous ligands and their varied effects on feeding cycles and meal patterns. Furthermore we also critically consider the mounting evidence which suggests non-Δ(9) tetrahydrocannabinol phytocannabinoids play a vital role in C. sativa-induced feeding pattern changes. Indeed, given the wide range of phytocannabinoids present in C. sativa and their equally wide range of intra-, inter- and extra-cellular mechanisms of action, we demonstrate that non-Δ(9) tetrahydrocannabinol phytocannabinoids retain an important and, as yet, untapped clinical potential.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21213357]]>
Monthly Archives: January 2017
Non-Δ⁹tetrahydrocannabinol phytocannabinoids stimulate feeding in rats.
“Cannabinoid type 1 receptor-mediated appetite stimulation by Δ⁹tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹THC) is well understood.
Recently, it has become apparent that non-Δ⁹THC phytocannabinoids could also alter feeding patterns.
Here, we show definitively that non-Δ⁹THC phytocannabinoids stimulate feeding.
Twelve male, Lister-Hooded rats were prefed to satiety prior to administration of a standardized cannabis extract or to either of two mixtures of pure phytocannabinoids (extract analogues) comprising the phytocannabinoids present in the same proportions as the standardized extract (one with and one without Δ⁹THC). Hourly intake and meal pattern data were recorded and analysed using two-way analysis of variance followed by one-way analysis of variance and Bonferroni post-hoc tests.
Administration of both extract analogues significantly increased feeding behaviours over the period of the test. All three agents increased hour-one intake and meal-one size and decreased the latency to feed, although the zero-Δ⁹THC extract analogue did so to a lesser degree than the high-Δ⁹THC analogue.
Furthermore, only the analogue containing Δ⁹THC significantly increased meal duration.
The data confirm that at least one non-Δ⁹THC phytocannabinoid induces feeding pattern changes in rats, although further trials using individual phytocannabinoids are required to fully understand the observed effects.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22157176
A low-Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol cannabis extract induces hyperphagia in rats.
“Appetite stimulation via partial agonism of cannabinoid type 1 receptors by Δtetrahydrocannabinol (ΔTHC) is well documented and can be modulated by non-ΔTHC phytocannabinoids.
ΔTHC concentrations sufficient to elicit hyperphagia induce changes to both appetitive (reduced latency to feed) and consummatory (increased meal one size and duration) behaviours.
Here, we show that a cannabis extract containing too little ΔTHC to stimulate appetite can induce hyperphagia solely by increasing appetitive behaviours.
These results show only the increase in appetitive behaviours, which could be attributed to non-ΔTHC phytocannabinoids in the extract rather than ΔTHC.
Although further study is required to determine the constituents responsible for these effects, these results support the presence of non-ΔTHC cannabis constituent(s) that exert a stimulatory effect on appetite and likely lack the detrimental psychoactive effects of ΔTHC.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20975531
