Tag Archives: cannabis
Cannabis for restless legs syndrome: a report of six patients


“Cannabis products have recently regained much attention due to the high pharmacological potential of their cannabinoid content. In this review, the most widely used sample preparation strategies for the extraction of cannabinoids are described for the specific application to either plant materials or biological matrices. Several analytical techniques are described pointing out their respective advantages and drawbacks. In particular, chromatographic methods, such as TLC, GC and HPLC, are discussed and compared in terms of selectivity and sensitivity. Various detection methods are also presented based on the specific aim of the cannabinoids analysis. Lastly, critical considerations are mentioned with the aim to deliver useful suggestions for the selection of the optimal and most suitable method of analysis of cannabinoids in either biomedical or cannabis derived samples.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28641906 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0731708517311895]]>
“The cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1R) agonist Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, adversely effects working memory performance in humans. The α2A-adrenoceptor (AR) agonist guanfacine improves working memory performance in humans. The authors aimed to determine the effects of short-term (6 days) treatment with guanfacine on adverse cognitive effects produced by THC.
Employing a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design, the cognitive, subjective, and cardiovascular effects produced by oral THC (20 mg) administration were determined twice in the same cannabis users: once after treatment with placebo and once after treatment with guanfacine (3 mg/day).
Although THC increased visual analog scores of subjective effects and heart rate, these increases were similar during treatment with placebo and guanfacine. THC did not significantly affect performance of a recognition memory task or blood pressure while individuals were maintained on either treatment.
Although preliminary, these results suggest that guanfacine warrants further testing as a potential treatment for cannabis-induced cognitive deficits.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28641496 http://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.16120328
“Guanfacine (brand name Estulic, Tenex and the extended release Intuniv; not to be confused with guaifenesin, an expectorant) is a sympatholytic drug used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and hypertension. It is a selective α2A receptor agonist“ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanfacine
“Despite its controversial nature, the use of medical marijuana and cannabis-derived medicinal products grows more popular with each passing year. As of November 2016, over 40 states have passed legislation regarding the use of either medical marijuana or cannabidiol products. Many providers have started encountering patients experimenting with cannabis products for a wide range of conditions. While the debate continues regarding these agents for both medicinal and recreational use in the general population, special consideration needs to be made for pediatric use. This review will deliver the history of marijuana use and legislation in the United States in addition to the currently available medical literature to equip pediatric health care providers with resources to provide patients and their parents the best recommendation for safe and appropriate use of cannabis-containing compounds.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28638299 http://www.jppt.org/doi/10.5863/1551-6776-22.3.176?code=ppag-site
“Anxiety and related disorders are the most common mental conditions affecting the North American population. Despite their established efficacy, first-line antidepressant treatments are associated with significant side effects, leading many afflicted individuals to seek alternative treatments. Cannabis is commonly viewed as a natural alternative for a variety of medical and mental health conditions. Currently, anxiety ranks among the top five medical symptoms for which North Americans report using medical marijuana. However, upon careful review of the extant treatment literature, the anxiolytic effects of cannabis in clinical populations are surprisingly not well-documented. The effects of cannabis on anxiety and mood symptoms have been examined in healthy populations and in several small studies of synthetic cannabinoid agents but there are currently no studies which have examined the effects of the cannabis plant on anxiety and related disorders. In light of the rapidly shifting landscape regarding the legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational purposes, it is important to highlight the significant disconnect between the scientific literature, public opinion, and related policies. The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the current cannabis treatment literature, and to identify the potential for cannabis to be used as a therapeutic intervention for anxiety, mood, and related disorders. Searches of five electronic databases were conducted (PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsychINFO, and Google Scholar), with the most recent in February 2017. The effects of cannabis on healthy populations and clinical psychiatric samples will be discussed, focusing primarily on anxiety and mood disorders.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28636769 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/da.22664/abstract
“Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid that has demonstrated anticonvulsant efficacy in several animal models of seizure. The current experiment validated CBD’s anticonvulsant effect using the acute pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) model. While this work further confirms the anticonvulsant efficacy of CBD and supports its application in the treatment of human seizure disorders, additional research on CBD’s mechanism of action must be conducted.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28624721 http://www.epilepsybehavior.com/article/S1525-5050(17)30122-1/fulltext]]>

“Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid that has demonstrated anticonvulsant efficacy in several animal models of seizure. The current experiment validated CBD’s anticonvulsant effect using the acute pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) model.
While this work further confirms the anticonvulsant efficacy of CBD and supports its application in the treatment of human seizure disorders, additional research on CBD’s mechanism of action must be conducted.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28624721
http://www.epilepsybehavior.com/article/S1525-5050(17)30122-1/fulltext
“Recent clinical trials indicate that cannabidiol (CBD) may reduce seizure frequency in pediatric patients with certain forms of treatment-resistant epilepsy. Many of these patients experience significant impairments in quality of life (QOL) in physical, mental, and social dimensions of health. In this study, we measured the caregiver-reported Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE) in a subset of patients enrolled in a prospective, open-label clinical study of CBD. Results from caregivers of 48 patients indicated an 8.2 ± 9.9-point improvement in overall patient QOLCE (p < 0.001) following 12 weeks of CBD. Subscores with improvement included energy/fatigue, memory, control/helplessness, other cognitive functions, social interactions, behavior, and global QOL. These differences were not correlated to changes in seizure frequency or adverse events. The results suggest that CBD may have beneficial effects on patient QOL, distinct from its seizure-reducing effects; however, further studies in placebo-controlled, double-blind trials are necessary to confirm this finding.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28617940 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/epi.13815/abstract]]>