Tag Archives: Cannabinoids

Major urinary protein 1 interacts with cannabinoid receptor type 1 in fatty acid-induced hepatic insulin resistance in a mouse hepatocyte model.

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“Hepatic insulin resistance (HIR) is a metabolic abnormality characterized by increased gluconeogenesis which usually contributes from an elevation of free fatty acids.

Cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) and major urinary protein 1 (MUP1) are thought to play pivotal roles in mitochondrial dysfunction, liver steatosis and insulin resistance.

The aim of this study was to explore the role of MUP1 in CB1R-mediated HIR through the dysregulation of mitochondrial function in AML12 mouse hepatocytes challenged with high concentration of free fatty acids (HFFA)…

Altogether, these findings suggest that the anti-HIR effect of AM251 via improvement of mitochondrial functions might occur in a MUP1-dependent manner.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25843798

The interactive role of cannabinoid and vanilloid systems in hippocampal synaptic plasticity in rats.

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“Long-term potentiation (LTP) has been most thoroughly studied in the hippocampus, which has a key role in learning and memory. Endocannabinoids are one of the endogenous systems that modulate this kind of synaptic plasticity. The activation of the vanillioid system has also been shown to mediate synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. In addition, immunohistochemical studies have shown that cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1) are closely located in the hippocampus.

It seems that agonists of the vanilloid system modulate cannabinoid outputs that cause an increase in synaptic plastisity, while in contemporary consumption of two agonist, TRPV1 agonist can change production of endocannabinoid, which in turn result to enhancement of LTP induction. These findings suggest that the two systems may interact or share certain common signaling pathways in the hippocampus.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25843413

Efficacy of Inhaled Cannabis on Painful Diabetic Neuropathy.

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“A randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled crossover study was conducted in 16 patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy to assess the short-term efficacy and tolerability of inhaled cannabis.

In a cross-over design, each participant was exposed to a single dosing session of placebo, low (1% tetrahydrocannabinol, THC), medium (4% THC), or high (7% THC) doses of cannabis…

This small, short-term, placebo-controlled trial of inhaled cannabis demonstrated a dose dependent reduction in diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain in patients with treatment-refractory pain.

This adds preliminary evidence to support further research on the efficacy of the cannabinoids in neuropathic pain.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25843054

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/neuropathic-pain/

Localization and production of peptide endocannabinoids in the rodent CNS and adrenal medulla.

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“The endocannabinoid system (ECS) comprises the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 and their endogenous arachidonic acid-derived agonists 2-arachidonoyl glycerol and anandamide, which play important neuromodulatory roles.

Recently, a novel class of negative allosteric CB1 receptor peptide ligands, hemopressin-like peptides derived from alpha hemoglobin, has been described, with yet unknown origin and function in the CNS. Using monoclonal antibodies we now identified the localization of RVD-hemopressin (pepcan-12) and N-terminally extended peptide endocannabinoids (pepcans) in the CNS and determined their neuronal origin…

These data uncover important areas of peptide endocannabinoid occurrence with exclusive noradrenergic immunohistochemical staining, opening new doors to investigate their potential physiological function in the ECS.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25839900

Antiepileptic potential of cannabidiol analogs.

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“In audiogenic seizure (AGS) susceptible rats, the acute (intraperitoneal and intravenous) dose-response effects of (–)-cannabidiol (CBD) for preventing AGS and for causing rototod neurotoxicity (ROT) were determined.

Also, the anti-AGS and ROT effects of 10 CBD analogs, given in intravenous doses equivalent to the AGS-ED50 (15 mg/kg) and ROT-ID50 (31 mg/kg) of CBD, were ascertained.

Compared to CBD, (–)-CBD diacetate and (–)-4-(2′-olivetyl)-alpha-pinene were equally effective whereas (–)-CBD monomethyl ether, (–)-CBD dimethyl ether, (–)-3′-acetyl-CBD monoacetate, (+)-4-(2′-olivetyl)-alpha-pinene, (–)-and (+)-4-(6′-olivetyl)-alpha-pinene, (+/-)-AF-11, and olivetol were less effective anticonvulsants. Except for (–)- and (+)-4-(2′-olivetyl)-alpha-pinene and olivetol, all analogs showed less ROT than CBD.

Also, CBD and all analogs were not active in tetrahydrocannabinol seizure-susceptible rabbits, the latter a putative model of cannabinoid psychoactivity in humans.

These data suggest anticonvulsant requirements of 2 free phenolic hydroxyl groups, exact positioning of the terpinoid moiety in the resorcinol system and correct stereochemistry.

Moreover, findings of separation of anticonvulsant from neurotoxic and psychoactive activities, notably with CBD diacetate, suggest that additional structural modifications of CBD may yield novel antiepileptic drugs.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7298873

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/epilepsy-2/

Clearing the Smokescreen: The Current Evidence on Cannabis Use

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“The therapeutic potential of cannabis is one of the factors driving the push for legalization of cannabis use…

Decisions regarding the legal status of cannabis have long been framed (for the public at least) with reference to the perceived health risks and harms associated with use. Yet, drug policy and legislation relating to the use of cannabis are rarely based on the scientific evidence of the known risks and harms.

There are many reasons for this discrepancy, with the politicization of cannabis use, where ideology and moralizing are given precedence over the science, being one.

Thus, we begin this research topic with Aggarwal discussion of how such politicization has contributed to the current smokescreen that is obscuring our understanding of cannabis, including the impact it has on the ability of researchers to collect and disseminate accurate information about the effects of cannabis use.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4358058/

Increased Cerebral Cannabinoid-1 Receptor Availability Is a Stable Feature of Functional Dyspepsia: A [F]MK-9470 PET Study.

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“Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) defined by chronic epigastric symptoms in the absence of organic abnormalities likely to explain them. Comorbidity with mood and anxiety disorders as well as with other FGIDs and functional somatic syndrome (FSS) is high. FD is characterized by abnormal regional cerebral activity in cognitive/affective pain modulatory circuits, but it is unknown which neurotransmitter systems are involved.

The authors aimed to assess and compare in vivo cerebral cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptor availability between FD patients and age-, gender- and BMI-matched healthy controls (HC).

FD patients had significantly higher CB1 receptor availability in the cerebral regions involved in (visceral) nociception (brainstem, insula, anterior cingulate cortex) as well as in the homeostatic and hedonic regulation of food intake [hypothalamus, (ventral) striatum]….

Although these findings need replication in larger samples, they suggest that the abnormal brain activity in several of these regions, previously demonstrated in FD, may be due to a sustained endocannabinoid system dysfunction, identifying it as a potential novel target for treatment and warranting further studies to elucidate whether it is also a feature of other FGIDs or FSSs.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25833408

Minocycline Attenuates Neonatal Germinal-Matrix-Hemorrhage-Induced Neuroinflammation and Brain Edema by Activating Cannabinoid Receptor 2.

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“Germinal matrix hemorrhage (GMH) is the most common neurological disease of premature newborns leading to detrimental neurological sequelae.

Minocycline has been reported to play a key role in neurological inflammatory diseases by controlling some mechanisms that involve cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R). The current study investigated whether minocycline reduces neuroinflammation and protects the brain from injury in a rat model of collagenase-induced GMH by regulating CB2R activity…

Our study demonstrates, for the first time, that minocycline attenuates neuroinflammation and brain injury in a rat model of GMH, and activation of CBR2 was partially involved in these processes.”

Inhibiting endocannabinoid biosynthesis: a novel approach to the treatment of constipation.

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“Endocannabinoids are a family of lipid mediators that are involved in the regulation of gastrointestinal (GI) motility. The expression, localization and function of their biosynthetic enzymes in the GI tract are not well understood.

Here we examined the expression, localization and function of the enzyme diacylglycerol lipase (DAGLα), involved in the biosynthesis of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG).

Cannabinoid (CB)1-deficient, wildtype control and C3H/HeJ mice, a genetically constipated model, were used…

DAGLα is expressed in the enteric nervous system and its inhibition reverses slowed GI motility, intestinal contractility and constipation through 2-AG and CB1 receptor mediated mechanisms.

Our data suggest that DAGLα inhibitors may be promising candidates for the treatment of constipation.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25684407

Palmitoyl Serine: An Endogenous Neuroprotective Endocannabinoid-Like Entity After Traumatic Brain Injury.

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“The endocannabinoid (eCB) system helps recovery following traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Treatment with 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), a cerebral eCB ligand, was found to ameliorate the secondary damage.

Interestingly, the fatty acid amino acid amide (FAAA) N-arachidonoyl-L-serine (AraS) exerts similar eCB dependent neuroprotective. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of the FAAA palmitoyl-serine (PalmS) following TBI.

We suggest that the neuroprotective action of PalmS is mediated by indirect activation of the eCB receptors following TBI. One such mechanism may involve receptor palmitoylation which has been reported to result in structural stabilization of the receptors and to an increase in their activity. Further research is required in order to establish this assumption.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25721934

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/brain-trauma/