Tag Archives: medicine

Re-branding cannabis: the next generation of chronic pain medicine?

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“The field of pain medicine is at a crossroads given the epidemic of addiction and overdose deaths from prescription opioids. Cannabis and its active ingredients, cannabinoids, are a much safer therapeutic option.

Despite being slowed by legal restrictions and stigma, research continues to show that when used appropriately, cannabis is safe and effective for many forms of chronic pain and other conditions, and has no overdose levels.

Current literature indicates many chronic pain patients could be treated with cannabis alone or with lower doses of opioids.

To make progress, cannabis needs to be re-branded as a legitimate medicine and rescheduled to a more pharmacologically justifiable class of compounds.

This paper discusses the data supporting re-branding and rescheduling of cannabis.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25537695

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

[Potential applications of marijuana and cannabinoids in medicine]

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“Cannabinoids, psychoactive substances present in cannabis, have been known to mankind for hundreds of years.

Apart from 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) substances found in the cannabis herb with the highest toxicological value are cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN).

The discovery of CB1 and CB2 receptors, located in various tissues (ranging from the brain to peripheral tissues), has defined the potential objective of these new chemical substances’ effects.

Many studies on the application of cannabinoids in the treatment of various diseases such as diabetes, neoplasms, inflammatory diseases, neurological conditions, pain and vomitting were conducted.

Drugs containing e.g. THC appear on the pharmaceutical market.

Substances affecting cannabinoid receptors may show beneficial effects…”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25518584

 

 

Cannabinoids: New Promising Agents in the Treatment of Neurological Diseases.

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“Nowadays, Cannabis sativa is considered the most extensively used narcotic. Nevertheless, this fame obscures its traditional employ in native medicine of South Africa, South America, Turkey, Egypt and in many regions of Asia as a therapeutic drug.

In fact, the use of compounds containing Cannabis and their introduction in clinical practice is still controversial and strongly limited by unavoidable psychotropic effects. So, overcoming these adverse effects represents the main open question on the utilization of cannabinoids as new drugs for treatment of several pathologies.

To date, therapeutic use of cannabinoid extracts is prescribed in patients with glaucoma, in the control of chemotherapy-related vomiting and nausea, for appetite stimulation in patients with anorexia-cachexia syndrome by HIV, and for the treatment of multiple sclerosis symptoms.

Recently, researcher efforts are aimed to employ the therapeutic potentials of Cannabis sativa in the modulation of cannabinoid receptor activity within the central nervous system, particularly for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, as well as psychiatric and non-psychiatric disorders.

This review evaluates the most recent available data on cannabinoids utilization in experimental and clinical studies, and highlights their beneficial effects in the prevention of the main neurological diseases and for the clinical treatment of symptoms with them correlated.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25407719

Cannabis-Based Medicine Reduces Multiple Pathological Processes in AβPP/PS1 Mice.

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“Several recent findings suggest that targeting the endogenous cannabinoid system can be considered as a potential therapeutic approach to treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

The present study supports this hypothesis demonstrating that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD) botanical extracts, as well as the combination of both natural cannabinoids, which are the components of an already approved cannabis-based medicine, preserved memory in AβPP/PS1 transgenic mice when chronically administered during the early symptomatic stage.

Moreover, THC + CBD reduced learning impairment in AβPP/PS1 mice.

…suggesting a cannabinoid-induced reduction in the harmful effect of the most toxic form of the Aβ peptide.

Among the mechanisms related with these positive cognitive effects, the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabinoids may also play a relevant role…

In summary, the present findings show that the combination of THC and CBD exhibits a better therapeutic profile than each cannabis component alone and support the consideration of a cannabis-based medicine as potential therapy against AD.”

Growing medicine: Small-scale cannabis cultivation for medical purposes in six different countries.

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“The production and consumption of cannabis for the treatment of medical conditions is of increasing importance internationally…

Growing cannabis for medical purposes was widespread.

The majority of medical growers reported cultivating cannabis for serious conditions…

There is a wider demand for licit access for medical cannabis than currently available…

many medical growers are using cannabis to treat serious medical conditions without proper medical advice and doctor’s guidance.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25123694

Cannabis for inflammatory bowel disease.

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“The marijuana plant Cannabis sativa has been used for centuries as a treatment for a variety of ailments. It contains over 60 different cannabinoid compounds.

Studies have revealed that the endocannabinoid system is involved in almost all major immune events. Cannabinoids may, therefore, be beneficial in inflammatory disorders.In murine colitis, cannabinoids decrease histologic and microscopic inflammation.

In humans, cannabis has been used to treat a plethora of gastrointestinal problems, including anorexia, emesis, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and diabetic gastroparesis.

Despite anecdotal reports on medical cannabis in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), there are few controlled studies. In an observational study in 30 patients with Crohn’s disease (CD), we found that medical cannabis was associated with improvement in disease activity and reduction in the use of other medications.

In a more recent placebo-controlled study in 21 chronic CD patients, we showed a decrease in the CD activity index >100 in 10 of 11 subjects on cannabis compared to 4 of 10 on placebo. Complete remission was achieved in 5 of 11 subjects in the cannabis group and 1 of 10 in the placebo group. Yet, in an additional study, low-dose cannabidiol did not have an effect on CD activity.

In summary, evidence is gathering that manipulating the endocannabinoid system can have beneficial effects in IBD, but further research is required to declare cannabinoids a medicine. We need to establish the specific cannabinoids, as well as appropriate medical conditions, optimal dose, and mode of administration, to maximize the beneficial effects while avoiding any potential harmful effects of cannabinoid use”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24969296

Cannabis May Help Combat Herpes Viruses

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“The compound in marijuana that produces a high, delta-9 tetrahydrocannbinol or THC, may block the spread of several forms of cancer causing herpes viruses, University of South Florida College of Medicine scientists report.

Once a person is infected with herpes, the viruses can remain dormant for long periods within white blood cells before they burst out and begin replicating. This reactivation of the virus boosts the number of cells infected thereby increasing the chances that the cells will become cancerous.

The USF team found that this sudden reactivation was prevented if infected cells were grown in the presence of THC. Furthermore, the researchers showed that THC acts specifically on gamma herpes viruses. The chemical had no effect on another related virus, herpes simplex-1, which causes cold sores and genital herpes.

Small concentrations of THC were found to be more potent and selective against gamma herpes viruses than the commonly used antiviral drugs on the market.

The findings, published Sept. 15 in the online journal BMC Medicine, could lead to the creation of antiviral drugs based on nonpsychoactive derivatives of THC.”

http://stdlabtest.com/2009/06/30/cannabis-may-help-combat-herpes-viruses/

MARIJUANA INGREDIENT KILLS HERPES VIRUSES IN TEST-TUBE STUDY

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“Marijuana’s active ingredient killed herpes viruses in test-tube experiments…

University of South Florida microbiologist Gerald Lancz said his study may help scientists discover new anti-herpes medicines.

Lancz said it might be possible to find substances related to THC that don’t affect the mind but do kill viruses.

Lancz and his colleagues incubated THC and various viruses in test tubes.

They found that, in doses somewhat higher than found in the blood of regular marijuana users, THC killed herpes simplex virus 1, which causes the cold sores that typify oral herpes.

The scientists didn’t test THC against herpes simplex 2, the genital herpes virus. But Lancz said the drug almost certainly will kill the genital herpes virus because it is so similar to the oral herpes virus.

The study found THC also killed cytomegalovirus, a herpes virus that causes flu-like symptoms in adults and is the most common infectious cause of birth defects in the United States.”

http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1990/Marijuana-Ingredient-Kills-Herpes-Viruses-in-Test-Tube-Study/id-767b0693c14381d912e5cc89baf71b68

 

Cannabis use in sickle cell disease: a questionnaire study.

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“Cannabinoids are increasingly being considered for the management of various painful conditions, and could be considered as an option for treating acute pain in sickle cell disease (SCD).

The objective of this study was to determine the extent of use of cannabis in the community for pain and other symptom relief, and its side effects during self-administration in patients with SCD…

The main reasons for use were to reduce pain in 52%, and to induce relaxation or relieve anxiety and depression in 39%. Symptoms related to sedation and mood effects were reported in 77% of patients. The majority of patients (58%) expressed their willingness to participate in studies of cannabis as a medicine.

We conclude that research in the use of cannabinoids for pain relief in SCD would be both important and acceptable to adult patients.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16173972

Marijuana Helps Relieve MS Pain

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“Researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have found that smoking marijuana can help relieve pain, and muscle tightness “spasticity” in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study is published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).”

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/245430.php

“Smoked cannabis for spasticity in multiple sclerosis: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3394820/