Category Archives: THC (Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol)

Alkylindole-sensitive receptors modulate microglial cell migration and proliferation.

Posted on by

“Ligands targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) expressed by microglia have been shown to regulate distinct components of their activation process, including cell proliferation, migration and differentiation into M1 or M2 phenotypes.

Cannabinoids, including the active component of the Cannabis plant, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and the synthetic alkylindole (AI) compound, WIN55212-2 (WIN-2), activate two molecularly identified GPCRs: CB1 and CB2 .

Our results suggest that microglia express functional AI-sensitive receptors that control select components of their activation process.

Agonists of these novel targets might represent a novel class of therapeutics to influence the microglial cell activation process. ”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25914169

Cannabis has been shown to kill cancer cells

Posted on by

 

“The use of Cannabis for medicinal purposes dates back to ancient times.” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/patient/page1

“Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years.” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/healthprofessional/page1

“The use of Cannabis for medicinal purposes dates back at least 3,000 years. It came into use in Western medicine in the 19th century and was said to relieve pain, inflammation, spasms, and convulsions.” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/patient/page2

“Cannabis has been shown to kill cancer cells in the laboratory”  http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/patient/page1

“…cannabinoids may be able to kill cancer cells while protecting normal cells…

A laboratory study of delta-9-THC… showed that it damaged or killed the cancer cells…

A laboratory study of cannabidiol… showed that it caused cancer cell death…” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/patient/page2

“Cannabinoids appear to kill tumor cells but do not effect their nontransformed counterparts and may even protect them from cell death.” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/healthprofessional/page4

“Because cannabinoid receptors, unlike opioid receptors, are not located in the brainstem areas controlling respiration, lethal overdoses from Cannabis and cannabinoids do not occur.” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/healthprofessional/page6

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

[The role of endocannabinoid system in physiological and pathological processes in the eye].

Posted on by

“Plant of Cannabis sativa/ marihuana except for its psychotropic effects possesses a range of pharmacological properties, that has been utilized for medical purposes over a period of millenia.

Investigations concerning biochemical mechanism of action of the main and most active pharmacological compound of Cannabis sativa, cannabinoid 9-THC, contributed to the discovery of cannabinoid receptors both in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral tissues, that mediated actions of this substance.

The discovery made possible identification of a new, endogenous signaling system referred to as the endocannabinoid system.

Besides cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, the system includes it’s endogenic ligands (endocannabinoids) and compounds that participate in their biosynthesis and inactivation. Structure and functioning of the endocannabinoid system is conservative in all vertebrates.

It’s activation with plant, synthetic and endogenous cannabinoids has an influence on multiple physiological and pathological processes within the eye.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19195174

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) interferes with conditioned retching in Suncus murinus: an animal model of anticipatory nausea and vomiting (ANV).

Posted on by

“Little is understood about effective countermeasures to the expression of anticipatory nausea and vomiting (ANV) in chemotherapy patients.

We present a model of ANV based on the emetic reactions of the Suncus murinus (musk shrew). Following two pairings of a novel distinctive contextual cue with the emetic effects of an injection of lithium chloride, the context acquired the potential to elicit retching in the absence of the toxin.

The expression of this conditioned retching reaction was completely suppressed by pretreatment with THC at a dose that did not suppress general activity.

This provides the first experimental evidence in support of anecdotal reports that THC suppresses ANV.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11277577

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

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, but not ondansetron, interfere with conditioned retching reactions elicited by a lithium-paired context in Suncus murinus: An animal model of anticipatory nausea and vomiting.

Posted on by

“Chemotherapy patients report not only acute nausea and vomiting during the treatment itself, but also report anticipatory nausea and vomiting upon re-exposure to the cues associated with the treatment.

We present a model of anticipatory nausea based on the emetic reactions of the Suncus murinus (musk shrew). Following three pairings of a novel distinctive contextual cue with the emetic effects of an injection of lithium chloride, the context acquired the potential to elicit conditioned retching in the absence of the toxin.

The expression of this conditioned retching reaction was completely suppressed by pretreatment with each of the principal cannabinoids found in marijuana, Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol or cannabidiol, at a dose that did not suppress general activity.

These results support anecdotal claims that marijuana, but not ondansetron, may suppress the expression of anticipatory nausea.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16197970

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

Cannabinoid agonists and antagonists modulate lithium-induced conditioned gaping in rats.

Posted on by

“A series of experiments evaluated the potential of psychoactive cannabinoid agonists, delta-9-THC and HU-210, and non-psychoactive cannabinoids, Cannabidiol (CBD) and its dimethylheptyl homolog (CBD-dmh), to interfere with the establishment and the expression of conditioned gaping in rats.

All agents attenuated both the establishment and the expression of conditioned gaping.

Furthermore, the CB1 antagonist, SR-141716, reversed the suppressive effect of HU-210 on conditioned gaping.

Finally, SR-141716 potentiated lithium-induced conditioned gaping, suggesting that the endogenous cannabinoid system plays a role in the control of nausea.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14527182

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

Effects of cannabinoids on lithium-induced conditioned rejection reactions in a rat model of nausea.

Posted on by

“Marijuana has been reported to suppress nausea produced by chemotherapy treatment in human cancer patients.

… there is abundant evidence that cannabinoid agonists attenuate vomiting in emetic species…

The present experiments evaluated the potential of low doses of the cannabinoid agonists, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; 0.5 mg/kg, i.p.), and HU-210 (0.001 mg/kg and 0.01 mg/kg, i.p.), and the CB(1) antagonist SR-141716A in modulating the establishment and the expression of lithium-induced conditioned rejection reactions in rats.

These results indicate that the establishment and the expression of lithium-induced conditioned rejection reactions are suppressed by pretreatment with cannabinoid agents.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12528012

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

The endocannabinoid system as a target for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease.

Posted on by

Logo of brjpharm

“The Cannabis sativa plant has been exploited for medicinal, agricultural and spiritual purposes in diverse cultures over thousands of years.

Cannabis has been used recreationally for its psychotropic properties, while effects such as stimulation of appetite, analgesia and anti-emesis have lead to the medicinal application of cannabis.

Indeed, reports of medicinal efficacy of cannabis can been traced back as far as 2700 BC, and even at that time reports also suggested a neuroprotective effect of the cultivar.

…alterations in the endocannabinoid system have been extensively investigated in a range of neurodegenerative disorders.

In this review we examine the evidence implicating the endocannabinoid system in the cause, symptomatology or treatment of neurodegenerative disease. We examine data from human patients and compare and contrast this with evidence from animal models of these diseases. On the basis of this evidence we discuss the likely efficacy of endocannabinoid-based therapies in each disease context.

There has been anecdotal and preliminary scientific evidence of cannabis affording symptomatic relief in diverse neurodegenerative disorders. These include multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

This evidence implied that hypofunction or dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system may be responsible for some of the symptomatology of these diseases.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2931550/

Therapeutic potential of cannabis in pain medicine†

Posted on by

BJA

“Cannabis has been of medicinal and social significance for millennia.

It is obtained from Cannabis sativa and the plant’s name reflects its ancient use—cannabis may represent a compound of Sanskrit and Hebrew words meaning ‘fragrant cane’, while sativa is Latin for cultivated.

Cannabis is also known as hemp.

Marijuana describes the dried cannabis flowers and leaves which are smoked, while hashish refers to blocks of cannabis resin which can be eaten.

Advances in cannabis research have paralleled developments in opioid pharmacology whereby a psychoactive plant extract has elucidated novel endogenous signalling systems with therapeutic significance.

Cannabinoids (CBs) are chemical compounds derived from cannabis.

This review discusses the basic science and clinical aspects of CB pharmacology with a focus on pain medicine.

Advances in cannabis research have ensured a future for these analgesic molecules which have been used since antiquity.”

http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/content/101/1/59.long

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/pain-2/

Evaluation of prevalent phytocannabinoids in the acetic acid model of visceral nociception.

Posted on by

Logo of nihpa

“Cannabis has been used for thousands of years as a therapeutic agent for pain relief, as well as for recreational purposes.

Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC)… produces antinociceptive effects in a wide range of preclinical assays of pain.

Considerable preclinical research has demonstrated the efficacy of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC), the primary psychoactive constituent of Cannabis sativa, in a wide variety of animal models of pain, but few studies have examined other phytocannabinoids.

Indeed, other plant-derived cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), and cannabichromene (CBC) elicit antinociceptive effects in some assays. In contrast, tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), another component of cannabis, antagonizes the pharmacological effects of Delta(9)-THC.

These results suggest that various constituents of this plant may interact in a complex manner to modulate pain.

The primary purpose of the present study was to assess the antinociceptive effects of these other prevalent phytocannabinoids in the acetic acid stretching test, a rodent visceral pain model…

Importantly, the antinociceptive effects of Delta(9)-THC and CBN occurred at lower doses than those necessary to produce locomotor suppression, suggesting motor dysfunction did not account for the decreases in acetic acid-induced abdominal stretching.

These data raise the intriguing possibility that other constituents of cannabis can be used to modify the pharmacological effects of Delta(9)-THC by either eliciting antinociceptive effects (i.e., CBN) or antagonizing (i.e., THCV) the actions of Delta(9)-THC.

The results obtained in the present study are consistent with the view that Δ9-THC is the major phytocannabinoid present in marijuana that produces antinociception in the acetic acid abdominal stretching test.

…these results suggest that there is potential to develop medications containing various concentrations of specific phytocannabinoids to optimize therapeutic effects (e.g., antinociception) and minimize psychomimetic effects.

In sum, the results of the present study further support the notion that Δ9-THC is the predominant constituent of marijuana that is responsible for eliciting antinociceptive effects and indicate that CB1 receptors play a predominant role in mediating these effects.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2765124/

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/pain-2/