Cannabinoid Agonists Show Promise for Anorexia

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“Impairments in the endocannabinoid system in the brain could play an important role in the development of anorexia nervosa, say Italian researchers, who report findings that point to novel cannabis-based therapeutic strategies for the eating disorder.

In a mouse model of anorexia, the team found not only that the density of cannabinoid receptors was significantly reduced in areas associated with appetite but also that administration of receptor agonists led to increases in body weight and a reduction in interest in exercise.”

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/868990

Marijuana Could Be the Answer to Curing Alzheimer’s Disease, Study Shows

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“The statistics associated with Alzheimer’s disease are downright depressing.

However, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies believe the cure to Alzheimer’s disease might come from a readily available substance: marijuana.”  http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/09/18/marijuana-could-be-answer-to-curing-alzheimers-disease-study-shows.html

“Marijuana Could Be the Answer to Curing Alzheimer’s Disease, Study Shows. The clinical failure rate of Alzheimer’s drugs is exceptionally high, yet early data from researchers at the Salk Institute suggests marijuana could provide a cure.”  http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/09/18/marijuana-could-be-the-answer-to-curing-alzheimers.aspx

 

Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Reverses TNFα-induced Increase in Airway Epithelial Cell Permeability through CB2 Receptors.

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“Despite pharmacological treatment, bronchial hyperresponsiveness continues to deteriorate as airway remodelling persists in airway inflammation.

Previous studies have demonstrated that the phytocannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) reverses bronchoconstriction with an anti-inflammatory action.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of THC on bronchial epithelial cell permeability after exposure to the pro-inflammatory cytokine, TNFα. Calu-3 bronchial epithelial cells were cultured at air-liquid interface.

These data indicate that THC prevents cytokine-induced increase in airway epithelial permeability through CB2 receptor activation.

This highlights that THC, or other cannabinoid receptor ligands, could be beneficial in the prevention of inflammation-induced changes in airway epithelial cell permeability, an important feature of airways diseases.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27641813

Comparing the effects of endogenous and synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists on survival of gastric cancer cells.

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“Anti-neoplastic activity induced by cannabinoids has been extensively documented for a number of cancer cell types; however, this topic has been explored in gastric cancer cells only in a limited number of approaches.

SIGNIFICANCE:

Through a comparative approach, our results support and confirm the therapeutic potential that cannabinoid receptor agonists exert in gastric cancer cells and open possibilities to use cannabinoids as part of a new gastric cancer therapy.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27640887

Dihydroceramide accumulation mediates cytotoxic autophagy of cancer cells via autolysosome destabilization.

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“Autophagy is considered primarily a cell survival process, although it can also lead to cell death. However, the factors that dictate the shift between these 2 opposite outcomes remain largely unknown. In this work, we used Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the main active component of marijuana, a compound that triggers autophagy-mediated cancer cell death) and nutrient deprivation (an autophagic stimulus that triggers cytoprotective autophagy) to investigate the precise molecular mechanisms responsible for the activation of cytotoxic autophagy in cancer cells. By using a wide array of experimental approaches we show that THC (but not nutrient deprivation) increases the dihydroceramide:ceramide ratio in the endoplasmic reticulum of glioma cells, and this alteration is directed to autophagosomes and autolysosomes to promote lysosomal membrane permeabilization, cathepsin release and the subsequent activation of apoptotic cell death. These findings pave the way to clarify the regulatory mechanisms that determine the selective activation of autophagy-mediated cancer cell death.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27635674

Phyto-, endo- and synthetic cannabinoids: promising chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of breast and prostate carcinomas.

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“The term “cannabinoids” designates a family of compounds with activity upon cannabinoid receptors.

Cannabinoids are classified in three groups: phytocannabinoids, endocannabinoids, and the synthetic analogues of both groups.

They have become a promising tool in the treatment of cancer disease, not only as palliative agents, but also as antitumor drugs, due to their ability to inhibit the proliferation, adhesion, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis of tumour cells.

Two of the cancers where they have shown high anticancer activity are breast and prostate tumours.

Cannabinoids, in particular the non-psychoactive CBD, may be promising tools in combination therapy for breast and prostate cancer, due to their direct antitumor effects, their ability to improve the efficacy of conventional antitumor drugs and their usefulness as palliative treatment.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27633508

The endocannabinoid anandamide causes endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in human mesenteric arteries.

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“The endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) causes vasorelaxation in animal studies.

Although circulating AEA levels are increased in many pathologies, little is known about its vascular effects in humans. The aim of this work was to characterise the effects of AEA in human arteries.

Post hoc analysis of the data set showed that overweight patients and those taking paracetamol had reduced vasorelaxant responses to AEA.

These data show that AEA causes moderate endothelium-dependent, NO-dependent vasorelaxation in human mesenteric arteries via activation of CB1 receptors.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27633407

State Medical Marijuana Laws and the Prevalence of Opioids Detected Among Fatally Injured Drivers.

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“To assess the association between medical marijuana laws (MMLs) and the odds of a positive opioid test, an indicator for prior use.

State-specific estimates indicated a reduction in opioid positivity for most states after implementation of an operational MML,

CONCLUSIONS:

Operational MMLs are associated with reductions in opioid positivity among 21- to 40-year-old fatally injured drivers and may reduce opioid use and overdose.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27631755

Preparation and Distribution of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Dosage Formulations for Investigational and Therapeutic Use in the United States.

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“Cannabis is classified as a schedule I controlled substance by the US Drug Enforcement Agency, meaning that it has no medicinal value. Production is legally restricted to a single supplier at the University of Mississippi, and distribution to researchers is tightly controlled. However, a majority of the population is estimated to believe that cannabis has legitimate medical or recreational value, numerous states have legalized or decriminalized possession to some degree, and the federal government does not strictly enforce its law and is considering rescheduling. The explosive increase in open sale and use of herbal cannabis and its products has occurred with widely variable and in many cases grossly inadequate quality control at all levels-growing, processing, storage, distribution, and use. This paper discusses elements of the analytical and regulatory system that need to be put in place to ensure standardization for the researcher and to reduce the hazards of contamination, overdosing, and underdosing for the end-user.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27630566