Tag Archives: cannabis

Direct suppression of autoreactive lymphocytes in the central nervous system via the CB2 receptor.

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The cannabinoid system is evolutionally conserved and is present in invertebrates and vertebrates. One of the best-studied cannabinoids is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the predominant active component of Cannabis sativa or marijuana.

The marijuana plant has been exploited by humans since their early history and was used for centuries in Asian medicine to reduce the severity of pain, inflammation and asthma. However, only recently have the mechanisms of the medicinal properties of THC begun to be understood. This understanding is largely due to the identification and cloning of two cannabinoid receptors.

The cannabinoid system is now recognized as a regulator of both the nervous and immune systems.

Although marijuana has been used for centuries for the treatment of a variety of disorders, its therapeutic mechanisms are only now being understood.

The best-studied plant cannabinoid, delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), produced by Cannabis sativa and found in marijuana, has shown evidence of being immunosuppressive in both in vivo and in vitro.

These studies are theoretically in agreement with the suggestions of others that cannabinoid receptor agonists would be beneficial for the treatment of MS in humans.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2219523/

Cannabidiol lowers incidence of diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice.

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“Cannabidinoids are components of the Cannabis sativa (marijuana) plant that have been shown capable of suppressing inflammation and various aspects of cell-mediated immunity.

Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid has been previously shown by us to suppress cell-mediatedautoimmune joint destruction in an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis.

We now report that CBD treatment significantly reduces the incidence of diabetes in NOD mice from an incidence of 86% in non-treated control mice to an incidence of 30% in CBD-treated mice…

Our results indicate that CBD can inhibit and delay destructive insulitis and inflammatory Th1-associated cytokine production in NOD mice resulting in a decreased incidence of diabetes possibly through an immunomodulatory mechanism shifting the immune response from Th1 to Th2 dominance.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16698671

Cannabidiol arrests onset of autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice.

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Figure 2

“Cannabidiol (CBD) is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. It is effective in supressing IFN-γ and TNF-α production and progression of autoimmune Th1-mediated rheumatoid arthritis by inhibition of T cell proliferation. This observation led us to investigate the possible effects of CBD on additional autoimmune diseases.

We have previously reported that cannabidiol (CBD) lowers the incidence of diabetes in young non-obese diabetes-prone (NOD) female mice.

In the present study we show that administration of CBD to 11-14 week old female NOD mice… ameliorates the manifestations of the disease…

CBD was extracted from Cannabis resin (hashish)…

Our data strengthen our previous assumption that CBD, known to be safe in man, can possibly be used as a therapeutic agent for treatment of type 1 diabetes.

CBD is not psychoactive and has anti-inflammatory and anti autoimmune properties.

Based on the above presented results, on the previously documented anti-inflammatory effects of CBD and on its clinical safety, it seems reasonable to consider the use of CBD for controlling type 1 diabetes at an early stage of the disease.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2270485/

Multiple sclerosis may disrupt endocannabinoid brain protection mechanism

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“Since the discovery of the endocannabinoids [eCB; anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), various pathological conditions were shown to increase the eCB tone and to inhibit molecular mechanisms that are involved in the production, release, and diffusion of harmful mediators such as proinflammatory cytokines or excess glutamate.

In this issue of PNAS, Witting et al.  demonstrate that, unexpectedly and contrary to the effects of other brain diseases, cell damage induced by experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an immune-mediated disease widely used as a laboratory model of multiple sclerosis (MS), does not lead to enhancement of eCB levels, although the cannabinoid receptors remain functional.

Nearly two decades ago, Lyman et al.  reported that Δ9-THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, suppresses the symptoms of EAE. A few years later, Wirguin et al. reported the same effect by Δ8-THC, a more stable and less psychotropic analogue of Δ9-THC.

Thus, THC was shown to inhibit both clinical and histological signs of EAE even before the endocannabinoids were described.

THC was also shown to control spasticity and tremor in chronic relapsing EAE, a further autoimmune model of MS , and to inhibit glutamate release via activation of the CB1-cannabinoid receptor in EAE. Moreover, mice deficient in the cannabinoid receptor CB1 tolerate inflammatory and excitotoxic insults poorly and develop substantial neurodegeneration after immune attack in EAE.

Thus, the brain loses some of its endogenous neuroprotective capacity, but it may still respond to exogenous treatment with 2-AG or other CB1 agonists. Assuming that the biochemical changes taking place in the EAE model of MS are similar to those in MS itself, these results represent a biochemical-based support to the positive outcome noted with cannabinoid therapy in MS.

These data suggest that the high level of IFN-γ in the CNS, noted in mice with EAE, disrupts eCB-mediated neuroprotection, while maintaining functional cannabinoid receptors, thus providing additional support for the use of cannabinoid-based medicine to treat MS.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1458835/

Cannabidiol (CBD) Shown To Kill Breast Cancer Cells -Cafemom

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“Cannabidiol (CBD) has been on the receiving end of a lot of attention from the scientific community for several decades now.

However, it is only now that we are really starting to begin to get a grasp on how wonderful this cannabinoid truly is.

A study from 2011 states that cannabidiol is considered an antineoplastic agent on the basis of its in vitro and in vivo activity against tumor cells. However, the exact molecular mechanism through which CBD works in this capacity is yet to be understood. The study, titled “Cannabidiol Induces Programmed Cell Death in Breast Cancer Cells by Coordinating the Cross-talk between Apoptosis and Autophagy,” focuses on how CBD can kill breast cancer cells. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women in the United States.

What the scientists found was that CBD influences apoptosis by interacting with a key protein, called beclin-1, found within the cancerous cell. Beclin-1 is also known to play a key role in autophagy, or cellular self-degradation of non-vital components, which may lead to programmed cell death. This causes a distortion of the electrical signals between the outer mitochondrial membrane and the rest of the cell, disrupting the transfer to the cell interior of certain molecules that are necessary for metabolism. What this means is that the cell cannot transfer energy, and the cell starves to death, and in doing so activates the self-destruction process of apoptosis.

The study concludes by stating, “In summary, we showed that CBD, a plant-derived cannabinoid, preferentially kills breast cancer cells by inducing ER stress, inhibiting mTOR signaling, enhancing ROS generation, and mediating a complex balance between autophagy and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. These findings support the continued exploration of CBD as an alternative agent for breast cancer treatment.””

http://www.cafemom.com/group/99198/forums/read/19190923/Cannabidiol_CBD_Shown_To_Kill_Breast_Cancer_Cells

“Cannabidiol Induces Programmed Cell Death in Breast Cancer Cells by Coordinating the Cross-talk between Apoptosis and Autophagy… In summary, we showed that CBD, a plant-derived cannabinoid, preferentially kills breast cancer cells…” http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/10/7/1161.full

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

Towards a therapeutic use of selective CB2 cannabinoid receptor ligands for atherosclerosis.

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“Atherosclerosis remains the primary cause of heart disease and stroke, causing approximately 50% of all deaths in Western countries. The identification of promising novel anti-atherosclerotic therapies is therefore of great interest and represents a continued challenge to the medical community.

Cannabinoids, such as Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the major psychoactive compound of marijuana, modulate immune functions and might therefore be of therapeutic use for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

The authors have demonstrated recently that oral treatment with low dose THC inhibits atherosclerosis progression in mice through pleiotropic immunomodulatory effects on inflammatory cells. All these effects were mediated via the cannabinoid receptor CB(2), the main cannabinoid receptor expressed on immune cells.

The identification and characterization of cannabinoid derivative that selectively activate CB(2) receptors and are devoid of adverse effects might offer a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of atherosclerosis.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19804131

https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/abs/10.2217/14796678.2.1.49

“Researchers suggest that THC and other cannabinoids, which are active at CB2, the cannabinoid receptor expressed on immune cells, may be valuable in treating atherosclerosis.” https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/787468

Low dose oral cannabinoid therapy reduces progression of atherosclerosis in mice

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Figure 1 : The cannabinoid receptor CB2 is expressed in human and mouse atherosclerotic plaques. Unfortunately we are unable to provide accessible alternative text for this. If you require assistance to access this image, or to obtain a text description, please contact npg@nature.com

“Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease… Derivatives of cannabinoids such as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) modulate immune functions and therefore have potential for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

We investigated the effects of THC in a murine model of established atherosclerosis.

Oral administration of THC resulted in significant inhibition of disease progression.

Our data demonstrate that oral treatment with a low dose of THC inhibits atherosclerosis progression in the apolipoprotein E knockout mouse model, through pleiotropic immunomodulatory effects on lymphoid and myeloid cells.

Thus, THC or cannabinoids with activity at the CB2 receptor may be valuable targets for treating atherosclerosis.”

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v434/n7034/full/nature03389.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15815632

 

Marijuana Chemical Fights Hardened Arteries – WebMD

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WebMD: Better information. Better health.

“The active ingredient in marijuana that produces changes in brain messages appears to fight atherosclerosis — a hardening of the arteries.

It takes a very specific amount of THC — marijuana’s key chemical — to help the arteries. That dose is too low to produce mood-altering effects in the brain, according to the new study.

“It would be difficult to achieve such specific concentrations in the blood by smoking marijuana,” Roth explains in a Nature editorial.”

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20050406/marijuana-chemical-fights-hardened-arteries

“Low dose oral cannabinoid therapy reduces progression of atherosclerosis in mice” http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v434/n7034/full/nature03389.html

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

CBD-Rich Marijuana Fights Colon Cancer, New Study Finds

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“In 2008, over one million individuals were diagnosed with colon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer or bowel cancer and it caused over 600,000 deaths globally. The results of a study published in the journal Phytomedicine in October 2013 suggest that a botanical extract made from high-CBD (cannabidiol) cannabis can selectively target colon cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed.

Researchers were able to reduce tumor growth and pre-cancerous lesions in mice with colon cancer using the pot molecule CBD as part of a “botanical drug substance”. The authors believe that CBD’s benefits as demonstrated by the results of the study could have clinical relevance for the use of cannabis-based medicines in cancer patients.

Current colon cancer treatments are not only very toxic but also fail to prevent the progression of the disease in some patients. Disease incidence and mortality have not reduced using screening strategies for colon cancer.

Researchers have made progress in investigating cannabis as a treatment for breast and brain cancers considering its antiproliferative CB1 and CB2-mediated effects in colorectal cancer cells and action in experimental models of colon cancer. The study was partially funded through grants from GW Pharmaceuticals and lead by researchers from Italy and the UK.”

http://blog.sfgate.com/smellthetruth/2014/01/06/cbd-rich-marijuana-fights-colon-cancer-new-study-finds/

“Inhibition of colon carcinogenesis by a standardized Cannabis sativa extract with high content of cannabidiol” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24373545

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

Shona Banda cured her terminal Crohn’s disease with cannabis

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Image result for shona banda

“Shona Banda was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease… She underwent several surgeries and was put on several pharmaceuticals, but her condition worsened progressively until she was considered terminal. She was bedridden… wasting away… She was waiting to die.

She managed to see Rick Simpson’s Run from the Cure…” 

“RUN FROM THE CURE: The Rick Simpson Story – A Film by Christian Laurette”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGjC4HReFL0

“Although she had been smoking marijuana to ease pain and help her sleep and eat, she had no way of making the oil, which required a pound of marijuana to produce the two ounces of cannabis oil she would need to heal.

Shona was in a funk about the lack of enough hemp to make her own oil when her husband noticed specks of oil residue in the inside of the vaporizer’s glass globe cover.

So she took the inhalation tube out of the vaporizer and sealed it, then simply collected those little blobs of oil from the inside of the glass globe with a spatula.

She did this three times a day, putting the collected oil residue into a capsule and taking it. After a very few days, Shona could walk without a cane. Soon she began eating and sleeping better and putting on weight. It wasn’t long before she was completely weened off all her pharmaceuticals.

She started a journal as she began getting better. The journal has become a book called Live Free or Die. The title is a reference to health freedom. Now she is very healthy and active.”

http://www.naturalnews.com/043718_chrons_disease_cannabis_shona_banda.html

“Crohn’s Disease Survivor Shona Banda Tells How Medical Marijuana Oil Helps Her “Live Free””  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_otUB7pVMA

“Ben Swann Radio: Shona Banda Explains Her Remarkable Story On How Cannabis Oil Saved Her Life. After being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2002, Shona Banda went through the struggles that many suffer with when battling the autoimmune disease. On the Ben Swann Radio Show, Ben and Shona discussed her tribulations while suffering from the disease and her immediate experiences after finding the cure to her disease.”
http://benswann.com/ben-swann-radio-shona-banda-explains-her-remarkable-story-on-how-cannabis-oil-saved-her-life/#ixzz32d6WqrPM

https://www.facebook.com/shona.banda

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shona-Bandas-Live-Free-or-Die/146496222049591

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/crohns-disease/