“The cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 are localized in the urinary bladder and play a role in the regulation of its function. We investigated the pathomechanisms through which hyperosmolarity induces detrusor overactivity (DO)…
These results demonstrate that hyperosmolar-induced DO is mediated by CB1 and CB2 receptors. Therefore, the cannabinoid pathway could potentially be a target for the treatment of urinary bladder dysfunction.”
“In this review, I will consider the dual nature of Cannabis and cannabinoids.
The duality arises from the potential and actuality of cannabinoids in the laboratory and clinic and the ‘abuse’ of Cannabis outside the clinic.
The therapeutic areas currently best associated with exploitation of Cannabis-related medicines include pain, epilepsy, feeding disorders, multiple sclerosis and glaucoma.
As with every other medicinal drug of course, the ‘trick’ will be to maximise the benefit and minimise the cost.
After millennia of proximity and exploitation of the Cannabis plant, we are still playing catch up with an understanding of its potential influence for medicinal benefit.”
“Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to cell death after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury.
Cannabinoid CB1 receptor is expressed in neuronal mitochondrial membranes (mtCB1R) and involved in regulating mitochondrial functions under physiological conditions…
In purified neuronal mitochondria, mtCB1R activation attenuated Ca(2+)-induced mitochondrial injury.
In conclusion, mtCB1R is involved in ACEA-induced protective effects on neurons and mitochondrial functions, suggesting mtCB1R may be a potential novel target for the treatment of brain ischemic injury.”
“Cannabis is a genus of annual flowering plant.
Cannabis is often divided into 3 species-Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis-but there is significant disagreement about this, and some consider them subspecies of the same parent species.
Cannabis sativa can grow to 5-18 feet or more, and often has a few branches.
Cannabis indica typically grows 2-4 feet tall and is compactly branched.
Cannabis ruderalis contains very low levels of Δ-9-tetrahyocannabinol so is rarely grown by itself. Cannabis ruderalis flowers as a result of age, not light conditions, which is called autoflowering. It is principally used in hybrids, to enable the hybrid to have the autoflowering property.
There are > 700 strains of cannabis, often with colorful names.
Some are strains of 1 of the 3 subspecies. Many are crossbred hybrids.
The strains can be named in a variety of ways: smell or lineage are common ways of naming. There are only a few rules about how the strains are named, and most strains’ names do not follow the rules.
There are 4 basic preparations of marijuana: bhang, hasish, oil (or hash oil), and leaves and/or buds.
In medical marijuana trials, subjective outcomes are frequently used but blind breaking can introduce significant bias. Blind breaking occurs when patients figure out if they are in the control or the treatment group. When this occurs, there is significant overestimation of treatment effect.”
“Diabetic neuropathic pain is one of the most commonly encountered neuropathic pain syndromes.
It is well known that diabetic animals are less sensitive to the analgesic effect of morphine, and opioids are found to be ineffective in the treatment of diabetic neuropathic pain.
Cannabinoids are promising drugs and they share a similar pharmacological properties with opioids.
It has been reported that cannabinoid analgesia remained intact and to be effective in some models of nerve injury.
Thus, we investigated antinociceptive efficacy and the effects of cannabinoids on behavioral sign of diabetic neuropathic pain in diabetic mice by using WIN 55, 212-2, a cannabinoid receptor agonist.
This study suggests that cannabinoids have a potential beneficial effect on experimental diabetic neuropathic pain.”
“Combining drugs not only reduces specific adverse effects of each of the drug at a higher dose but also may lead to enhanced efficacy.
Taking into consideration, the pharmacological similarities between opioids and cannabinoids, we assumed that combination of cannabinoids with noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitors might also be effective…
Overall, our data suggest that combination of a cannabinoid with a selective noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor may offer a beneficial treatment option for neuropathic pain.”
“Use of cannabinoids as medications has a long history.
Unfortunately, the prohibition of cannabis and its classification in 1970 as a schedule 1 drug has been a major obstacle in studying these agents in a systematic, controlled manner.
The number of class 1 studies (randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled) in patients with movement disorders is limited. Hence, it is not possible to make recommendations on the use of these cannabinoids as primary treatments for any of the movement disorders at this time.
Fortunately, there is an expanding body of research in animal models of age-dependent and disease-related changes in the endocannabinoid system that is providing new targets for drug development.
Moreover, there is growing evidence of a “cannabinoid entourage effect” in which a combination of cannabinoids derived from the plant are more effective than any single cannabinoid for a number of conditions.
Cannabis preparations may presently offer an option for compassionate use in severe neurologic diseases, but at this point, only when standard-of-care therapy is ineffective.
As more high-quality clinical data are gathered, the therapeutic application of cannabinoids will expand.”
“Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is the main cause of both primary graft dysfunction and primary non-function of liver allografts.
Cannabinoids has been reported to attenuate myocardial, cerebral and hepatic I/R oxidative injury.
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a cannabinoid agonist, is the active components of marijuana.
In this study we examined the role of ultralow dose THC (0.002mg/kg) in the protection of livers from I/R injury. This extremely low dose of THC was previously found by us to protect the mice brain and heart from a variety of insults.
A single ultralow dose THC can reduce the apoptotic, oxidative and inflammatory injury induced by hepatic I/R injury.
THC may serve as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in hepatic I/R injury during liver transplantation, liver resection and trauma.”
“There are anecdotal reports that some Cannabis preparations may be useful for bladder dysfunctions.
Here, we investigated the effect of a number of non- psychotropic phytocannabinoids, namely cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabidivarin (CBDV), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) and cannabichromene (CBC) on mouse bladder contractility in vitro.
CBG, THCV, CBD and CBDV, but not CBC, at concentration ranging from 10(-8) M to 10(-4) M, decreased (with similar potency), the contractions induced by acetylcholine without significantly modifying the contractions induced by electrical stimulation.
The rank order of efficacy was CBG=THCV>CBD>CBDV.
In depth studies on CBG showed that the effect of this phytocannabinoid on acetylcholine-induced contractions was not affected by CB1 or CB2 receptor antagonists.
Additionally, CBG also reduced acetylcholine-induced contractions in the human bladder.”
“Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is of increasing interest as a pharmaceutical and bioactive compound.
Chemical synthesis of THC uses a laborious procedure and does not satisfy the market demand.
The implementation of biocatalysts for specific synthesis steps might be beneficial for making natural product availability independent from the plant.
Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinolicacid synthase (THCAS) from C. sativa L. catalyzes the cyclization of cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), which is non-enzymatically decarboxylated to THC.
In conclusion, production of THCAS in Pichia pastoris MutS KM71 KE1, subsequent isolation, and its application in a two-liquid phase setup enables the synthesis of THCA on a mg scale.”