“Glaucoma is a slowly progressive optic neuropathy that is one of the leading causes of legal blindness throughout the world. Currently there is a limited group of topical drugs for the medical treatment of glaucoma is currently limited, and research needs to be focused on new therapeutic horizons, such as the potential usefulness of the cannabinoid agonists for the treatment of glaucoma.
Category Archives: Endocannabinoid System
Neural contractions in colonic strips from patients with diverticular disease: role of endocannabinoids and substance P
“Diverticulosis is a common disease of not completely defined pathogenesis. Motor abnormalities of the intestinal wall have been frequently described but very little is known about their mechanisms. We investigated in vitro the neural response of colonic longitudinal muscle strips from patients undergoing surgery for complicated diverticular disease (diverticulitis). Neural control of colon motility is profoundly altered in patients with diverticulitis. Their raised levels of anandamide, apparent desensitisation of the presynaptic neural cannabinoid CB1 receptor, and the SR141716 induced intrinsic response, suggest that endocannabinoids may be involved in the pathophysiology of complications of colonic diverticular disease. Agents acting on the endocannabinoid system could eventually find therapeutic application in colonic inflammatory and motility disorders.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1856307/]]>
Neuroimmmune interactions of cannabinoids in neurogenesis: focus on interleukin-1β (IL-1β) signalling.
“Neuroimmune networks and the brain endocannabinoid system contribute to the maintenance of neurogenesis.
Activation of cannabinoid receptors suppresses chronic inflammatory responses through the attenuation of pro-inflammatory mediators. Moreover, the endocannabinoid system directs cell fate specification of NSCs (neural stem cells) in the CNS (central nervous system).
The aim of our work is to understand better the relationship between the endocannabinoid and the IL-1β (interleukin-1β) associated signalling pathways and NSC biology, in order to develop therapeutical strategies on CNS diseases that may facilitate brain repair.
NSCs express functional CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, DAGLα (diacylglycerol lipase α) and the NSC markers SOX-2 and nestin. We have investigated the role of CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors in the control of NSC proliferation and in the release of immunomodulators [IL-1β and IL-1Ra (IL-1 receptor antagonist)] that control NSC fate decisions. Pharmacological blockade of CB1 and/or CB2 cannabinoid receptors abolish or decrease NSC proliferation, indicating a critical role for both CB1 and CB2 receptors in the proliferation of NSC via IL-1 signalling pathways.
Thus the endocannabinoid system, which has neuroprotective and immunomodulatory actions mediated by IL-1 signalling cascades in the brain, could assist the process of proliferation and differentiation of embryonic or adult NSCs, and this may be of therapeutic interest in the emerging field of brain repair.
In summary, cannabinoids and IL-1β seem to play antagonistic roles in neurogenesis: although cannabinoids increase proliferation and induce formation and maturation of new neurons, IL-1β blocks proliferation and formation of new neurons, inducing a shift towards a glial fate. This may be important in situations such as in aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and lesions of the brain and spinal cord.”
Diuretic effects of cannabinoids.
“These data indicate that cannabinoids have robust diuretic effects in rats that are mediated via CB1 receptor mechanisms. Overall, our data indicate that diuresis is a CB1-mediated effect that may serve as a reliable and objective physiologic measure of cannabinoid action in rats; the circumstances under which these results represent a potential therapeutic benefit or potential liability of cannabinoids remain to be determined. The implications of these findings currently are poorly understood, although a better understanding of mechanisms and sites of action by which cannabinoids increase urine loss may lead to the rational development of novel cannabinergic medications.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3533417/
“Diuretics are medicines that help reduce the amount of water in the body. Diuretics are used to treat the buildup of excess fluid in the body that occurs with some medical conditions such ascongestive heart failure, liver disease, and kidney disease. Some diuretics are also prescribed to treat high bloodpressure. These drugs act on the kidneys to increase urine output. This reduces the amount of fluid in the bloodstream,which in turn lowers blood pressure.” http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/diuretics
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Cannabinol and cannabidiol exert opposing effects on rat feeding patterns.
“Increased food consumption following ∆(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol-induced cannabinoid type 1 receptor agonism is well documented.
However, possible non-∆(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol phytocannabinoid-induced feeding effects have yet to be fully investigated. Therefore, we have assessed the effects of the individual phytocannabinoids, cannabigerol, cannabidiol and cannabinol, upon feeding behaviors.
“The physiological control of appetite and satiety, in which numerous neurotransmitters and neuropeptides play a role, is extremely complex. Here we describe the involvement of endocannabinoids in these processes.
These endogenous neuromodulators enhance appetite in animals.
The same effect is observed in animals and in humans with the psychotropic plant cannabinoid Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, which is an approved appetite-enhancing drug.
The CB(1) cannabinoid receptor antagonist SR141716A blocks the effects on feeding produced by the endocannabinoids. If administered to mice pups, this antagonist blocks suckling.
In obese humans, it causes weight reduction.
Very little is known about the physiological and biochemical mechanisms involved in the effects of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol and the cannabinoids in feeding and appetite.”
“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.”