“Insulin resistance (IR) and obesity predispose diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. Beta-caryophyllene (BCP), a natural sesquiterpene, exerts neuroprotective, anxiolytic and antidepressant effects via its selective agonism to cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R). BCP was shown to have an anti-diabetic effect, however, the implication of CB2R is yet to be elucidated. A link between CB2R agonism and PPAR-γ activation has been discussed, but the exact mechanism is not well-defined. This study was designed to examine the role of BCP in improving diet-induced metabolic (insulin resistance), neurobehavioral (anxiety, depression and memory deficit), and neurochemical (oxidative, inflammatory and neurotrophic factor) alterations in the prefrontal cortex of obese rats’ brain. The involvement of CB2R and/or PPAR-γ dependent activity was also investigated.
Naturally occurring compounds as pancreatic cancer therapeutics.
“Naturally occurring small molecule compounds have long been in the spotlight of pancreatic cancer research as potential therapeutics to prevent cancer progression and sensitize chemoresistant tumors. The hope is that terminal pancreatic cancer patients receiving aggressive chemotherapy can benefit from an increase in treatment efficacy without adding further toxicity by way of utilizing natural compounds. While preclinical studies on a number of natural compounds, such as resveratrol, curcumin, rapalogs and cannabinoids, show promising preclinical results, little has translated into clinical practice, though a number of other compounds hold clinical potential. Nevertheless, recent advances in compound formulation may increase the clinical utility of these compounds.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30459936
“The combination of natural products and standard of care chemotherapy has the potential to increase quality of life and lifespan in pancreatic cancer patients, even though a number of hurdles need to be overcome for routine clinical use.” http://www.oncotarget.com/index.php?journal=oncotarget&page=article&op=view&path[]=26234&path[]=81769
“Cannabinoids Induce Apoptosis of Pancreatic Tumor Cells via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress–Related Genes. In conclusion, results presented here show that cannabinoids exert a remarkable antitumoral effect on pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo due to their ability to selectively induce apoptosis of these cells via activation of the p8-ATF-4-TRB3 proapoptotic pathway.” http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/66/13/6748
IMPACT OF NEUROIMMUNE ACTIVATION INDUCED BY ALCOHOL OR DRUG ABUSE ON ADOLESCENT BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.
“Evidence obtained in recent decades has demonstrated that the brain still matures in adolescence. Changes in neural connectivity occur in different regions, including cortical and subcortical structures, which undergo modifications in white and gray matter densities. These alterations concomitantly occur in some neurotransmitter systems and hormone secretion, which markedly influence the refinement of certain brain areas and neural circuits. The immaturity of the adolescent brain makes it more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol and drug abuse, whose use can trigger long-term behavioral dysfunction. This article reviews the action of alcohol and drug abuse (cannabis, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, anabolic androgenic steroids) in the adolescent brain, and their impact on both cognition and behavioral dysfunction, including predisposition to drug abuse in later life. It also discusses recent evidence that indicates the role of the neuroimmune system response and neuroinflammation as mechanisms that participate in many actions of ethanol and drug abuse in adolescence, including the neurotoxicity and alterations in neurocircuitry that contribute to the dysfunctional behaviors associated with addiction. The new data suggest the therapeutic potential of anti-inflammatory targets to prevent the long-term consequences of drug abuse in adolescence.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30468786 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S073657481830251X?via%3Dihub
“Cannabinoids as novel anti-inflammatory drugs.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20191092
]]>Activation of GPR55 induces neuroprotection of hippocampal neurogenesis and immune responses of neural stem cells following chronic, systemic inflammation.
“New neurons are continuously produced by neural stem cells (NSCs) within the adult hippocampus. Numerous diseases, including major depressive disorder and HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorder, are associated with decreased rates of adult neurogenesis. A hallmark of these conditions is a chronic release of neuroinflammatory mediators by activated resident glia.
Recent studies have shown a neuroprotective role on NSCs of cannabinoid receptor activation. Yet, little is known about the effects of GPR55, a candidate cannabinoid receptor, activation on reductions of neurogenesis in response to inflammatory insult.
In the present study, we examined NSCs exposed to IL-1β in vitro to assess inflammation-caused effects on NSC differentiation and the ability of GPR55 agonists to attenuate NSC injury.
Taken together, these results suggest a neuroprotective role of GPR55 activation on NSCs in vitro and in vivo and that GPR55 provides a novel therapeutic target against negative regulation of hippocampal neurogenesis by inflammatory insult.”
“Purified 
“There is sufficient evidence that medical marijuana is effective in treating epileptic seizures and chronic pain.
Medical marijuana may improve the level of functioning and quality of life for individuals with certain disabilities.”
“The plant Cannabis sativa produces over 140 known