Tag Archives: cannabidiol

[Cannabinoids for symptomatic therapy of multiple sclerosis].

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“Spasticity represents a common troublesome symptom in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Treatment of spasticity remains difficult, which has prompted some patients to self-medicate with and perceive benefits from cannabis. Advances in the understanding of cannabinoid biology support these anecdotal observations.

Various clinical reports as well as randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies have now demonstrated clinical efficacy of cannabinoids for the treatment of spasticity in MS patients. Sativex is a 1:1 mix of delta-9-tetrahydocannabinol and cannabidiol extracted from cloned Cannabis sativa chemovars, which recently received a label for treating MS-related spasticity in Germany.

The present article reviews the current understanding of cannabinoid biology and the value of cannabinoids as a symptomatic treatment option in MS.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22080198

Sativex® in multiple sclerosis spasticity: a cost-effectiveness model.

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“Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, progressive disease that carries a high socioeconomic burden. Spasticity (rigidity and spasms) is common in MS and a key contributor to MS-related disability.

This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of Sativex®, a 9-d-tetrahydrocannabinol/cannabidiol-based oromucosal spray that acts as an endocannabinoid system modulator. Sativex was recently approved for the management of resistant MS spasticity as add-on medication.

CONCLUSION:

Despite having a relatively high acquisition cost, Sativex was shown to be a cost-effective treatment option for patients with MS-related spasticity.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22681512

Endocannabinoid system modulator use in everyday clinical practice in the UK and Spain.

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“Spasticity is a disabling complication of multiple sclerosis. Some commonly used oral medications include baclofen, tizanidine, anticonvulsants and benzodiazepines, but their benefits are modest.

Sativex(®) (GW Pharmaceuticals PLC, Porton Down, UK; Laboratorios Almirall, SA, Barcelona, Spain) is a unique cannabinoid-based medicine with two main active ingredients; 9-δ-tetrahydrocannabinol, which acts mainly on cannabinoid 1 receptors in the CNS and plays a key role in the modulation of spasticity and spasms, and cannabidiol, which has different properties, including minimization of the psychoactivity associated with 9-δ-tetrahydrocannabinol. Sativex is indicated for symptomatic improvement in adult patients with moderate-to-severe multiple sclerosis-related spasticity who have not responded adequately to other first- or second-line antispasticity medications, and who demonstrate clinically significant improvement in spasticity-related symptoms during an initial trial of therapy.

Over the past couple of years, Sativex has been approved for use in a number of European countries and ongoing postmarketing studies are evaluating the possible risks associated with Sativex treatment by systematically collecting all suspected adverse reactions that occur in patients from the start of treatment. Interim data from the UK as well as Spanish Sativex safety registries confirm that clinical benefit is maintained over the longer term despite the expected trend for deterioration owing to disease progression.

 Even after more than 2 years of use, no new safety/tolerability signals have emerged with Sativex, including no evidence of driving impairment and no relevant incidence of falls or other adverse events of concern, such as psychiatric or nervous system events.

Sativex appears to be a well-tolerated and useful add-on therapy in patients who have not achieved an adequate response with traditional antispastic agents.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23369054

Cannabis and Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) for weight loss?

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“Obesity is one of the highest preventable causes of morbidity and mortality in the developed world. It has been well known for a long time that exposure to cannabis produces an increase of appetite (a phenomenon referred to as the ‘munchies’).

This phenomenon led to an exploration of the role of the endocannabinoid system in the regulation of obesity and associated metabolic syndrome. This effort subsequently led to the development of a successful therapeutic approach for obesity that consisted of blocking the cannabinoid CB(1) receptors using ligands such as Rimonabant in order to produce weight loss and improve metabolic profile. Despite being efficacious, Rimonabant was associated with increased rates of depression and anxiety and therefore removed from the market.

We recently discovered that the prevalence of obesity is paradoxically much lower in cannabis users as compared to non-users and that this difference is not accounted for by tobacco smoking status and is still present after adjusting for variables such as sex and age.

 Here, we propose that this effect is directly related to exposure to the Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) present in cannabis smoke. We therefore propose the seemingly paradoxical hypothesis that THC or a THC/cannabidiol combination drug may produce weight loss and may be a useful therapeutic for the treatment of obesity and its complications.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23410498

Cannabis compound can help cells

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“Cannabis has been used recreationally and for medicinal purposes for centuries, yet its 60 plus active components are only partly understood. Now scientists have discovered how a compound in cannabis can help cells to function in our bodies, and aid recovery after a damaging event.

In a paper published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the researchers report on their studies into cannabidiol – a naturally occurring molecule found in cannabis.

Also known as CBD, it is not the constituent that gives the high – that compound is called tetrahydrocannabinol or THC – and so may be more acceptable as a drug treatment.

Both compounds are currently used in a pharmaceutical medicine to help patients relieve pain and other symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis.

Now researchers have discovered how CBD actually works within brain cells.

By interacting with mitochondria – which are the power generators of all cells – it can help maintain normal levels of calcium allowing cells to function properly and providing a greater resistance to damage.

Disturbance of calcium levels has long been associated with a number of brain disorders. So the finding could have implications for the development of new treatments for disorders related to malfunctioning mitochondria.

Dr Bettina Platt, from the University’s School of Medical Sciences, said: “Scientists have known for a long time that cannabidiol can help with pain relief but we never really knew how it worked.

“However we have discovered what it actually does at the cellular level.

“We are hoping that our findings can instruct the development of cannabidiol based treatments for disorders related to mitochondrial dysfunction such as Parkinson’s disease or Huntington’s disease.”

More: http://phys.org/news154280470.html

Juicing Raw Cannabis for Greater Health

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“If you find yourself in the doctors chair at the office of Dr. William Courtney, Willits, California you will be advised; we shouldn’t be smoking our marijuana, we should be eating it!  After I read the story in the Washington Post, “Form of medical marijuana won’t get you high but is creating quite a buzz” written by Karl Vick,  I decided to look into it more.

CBD (Cannabidiol), one of the main constituents of the cannabis plant has been proven medically to relieve convulsion, inflammation, anxiety and nausea, as well as inhibit cancer cell growth.  Recent studies have shown it to be an effective atypical anti-psychotic in treating schizophrenia.  CBD also interferes with the amount of THC your brain processes, balancing the psychotropic effect of marijuana.”

Read more: http://berkeleypatientscare.com/2010/09/18/juicing-raw-cannabis-for-greater-health/

New Study Shows Cannabis May Reverse Symptoms of Dementia

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“In what could turn out to be a groundbreaking study, a group from Neuroscience Research Australia has been examining if cannabidiol – one of the main ingredients in cannabis – could reverse some of the symptoms of dementia, specifically Alzheimer’s disease. Early research for the study has found that it does.” images

“In the study, mice were injected with a disease analogous to Alzheimer’s, and then given doses of cannabidiol. The results so far are quite drastic; “It basically brings the performance of the animals back to the level of healthy animals,” said Tim Karl, one of the study’s researchers.

He goes on, “You could say it cured them, but we will have to go back and look at their brains to be sure.”

As part of the research,  the group also found that treating certain harmful cells associated with Alzheimer’s with cannabidiol reduced the amount of the harmful protein that they produced.”

http://thejointblog.com/new-study-shows-cannabis-may-reverse-symptoms-of-dementia/

Cannabis may help reverse dementia: study

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“It makes most people a little foggy-headed, but scientists are investigating whether an active ingredient in cannabis could actually stave off dementia.

A team from Neuroscience Research Australia is in the early stages of research examining if one of the main active ingredients in cannabis, called cannabidiol, could reverse some of the symptoms of memory loss in animals.

Tim Karl, a senior research fellow with the group, said cannabidiol does not have the same psychoactive effects as the main component of marijuana, THC, but it has been found to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and other effects that could be beneficial for the brain.”

Read more: http://www.narrominenewsonline.com.au/story/1283217/cannabis-may-help-reverse-dementia-study/

Cannabis Compound Could Help With Alzheimer’s Disease

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cannabis 

“Neuroscientists suspect the main active ingredient in cannabis, called cannabidiol, could help prevent or reverse early stage brain damage and memory loss from Alzheimer’s disease, according to Australian newspaper the Sydney Morning Herald.

Tim Karl, a senior research fellow with Neuroscience Research Australia, said cannabidiol doesn’t have the same psychoactive effects as marijuana’s main component, THC (meaning it won’t get you high), but it does have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and possible brain protective effects.

“Back in the day cannabis was used for medical purposes,” he said. “I’m talking 200 years, 100 years back, then at some point people discovered it had other effects and, as quite often happens in our society, people decided it was a bad drug.

But (cannabis isn’t) one compound, it is a mixture of 60 different compounds, and you just have to look at those different compounds because some of them might be good for you.””

Read more: http://www.blisstree.com/2013/02/06/sex-relationships/cannabis-brain/

Update on the Role of Cannabinoid Receptors after Ischemic Stroke

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“The endocannabinoid system is considered as a major modulator of the cerebral blood flow, neuroinflammation, and neuronal survival… Evidence from animal models and in vitro studies suggests a global protective role for cannabinoid receptors agonists in ischemic stroke…Given its potent anti-inflammatory activities on circulating leukocytes, the CB2 activation has been proven to produce protective effects against acute poststroke inflammation. In this paper, we will update evidence on different cannabinoid-triggered avenues to reduce inflammation and neuronal injury in acute ischemic stroke…

Synthetic cannabinoids have been also investigated in animal models showing an improvement of the ischemic injury in the liver, heart, and brain. Furthermore, phytocannabinoids have been also isolated from the Cannabis sativa. Since this plant contains about 80 different cannabinoids, a strong work is still needed to test all these active compounds. This delay in cannabinoid research might be also due to the very low dose of certain cannabinoids in the plant. Thus, since Δ9-tetrahydrocannabidiol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) represent up to 40% of the total cannabinoid mass, these compounds have been considered as the most active mediators…

The encouraging therapeutic results of this study are in partial contrast with previous case reports, suggesting a potential relationship between stroke and chronic cannabis abuse in young human beings…

We believe that the “cannabinoid” approach represents an interesting therapeutic strategy still requiring further validations to improve neurologic and inflammatory outcomes in ischemic stroke.”

Full text: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3337695/