THC Total Health Care

A comprehensive encyclopedia of THC related medical research articles

Acute ethanol inhibition of adult hippocampal neurogenesis involves CB1 cannabinoid receptor signaling.

Posted on February 10, 2018 by David Worrell

“Chronic ethanol exposure has been found to inhibit adult hippocampal neurogenesis in multiple models of alcohol addiction. Together, these findings suggest that acute CB1R cannabinoid receptor activation and binge ethanol treatment reduce neurogenesis through mechanisms involving CB1R. ” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29417597 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acer.13608/abstract “Alcohol-induced neurodegeneration” http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A666727&dswid=174

“Defective Adult Neurogenesis in CB1 Cannabinoid Receptor Knockout Mice. Pharmacological studies suggest a role for CB1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1R) in regulating neurogenesis in the adult brain.” http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/66/2/204.full

“Activation of Type 1 Cannabinoid Receptor (CB1R) Promotes Neurogenesis in Murine Subventricular Zone Cell Cultures” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3660454/

“Several studies and patents suggest that the endocannabinoid system has neuro-protective properties and might be a target in neurodegenerative diseases” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27364363 “The endocannabinoid system and neurogenesis in health and disease.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17404371

“The role of cannabinoids in adult neurogenesis. Pharmacological targeting of the cannabinoid system as a regulator of neurogenesis may prove a fruitful strategy in the prevention or treatment of mood or memory disorders.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4543605/

“Regulation of Adult Neurogenesis by Cannabinoids” https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264424221_Regulation_of_Adult_Neurogenesis_by_Cannabinoids

“Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC) Induce Neurogenesis and Improve Cognitive Performances of Male Sprague Dawley Rats. Administration of ∆⁹-THC was observed to enhance the neurogenesis in the brain, especially in hippocampus thus improved the cognitive function of rats.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28933048

“Cannabidiol Reduces Aβ-Induced Neuroinflammation and Promotes Hippocampal Neurogenesis through PPARγ Involvement. CBD was observed to stimulate hippocampal neurogenesis.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3230631/

“Cannabinoids promote embryonic and adult hippocampus neurogenesis and produce anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects. Chronic administration of the major drugs of abuse including opiates, alcohol, nicotine, and cocaine has been reported to suppress hippocampal neurogenesis in adult rats. Plant-derived, or synthetic cannabinoids may promote hippocampal neurogenesis. Cannabinoids appear to be the only illicit drug whose capacity to produce increased hippocampal newborn neurons is positively correlated with its anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects. In summary, since adult hippocampal neurogenesis is suppressed following chronic administration of opiates, alcohol, nicotine, and cocaine, the present study suggests that cannabinoids are the only illicit drug that can promote adult hippocampal neurogenesis following chronic administration.” https://www.jci.org/articles/view/25509

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Detection of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in oral fluid, blood and urine following oral consumption of low-content THC hemp oil.

Posted on February 7, 2018 by David Worrell

“Hemp-derivative (Cannabis sativa L.) food products containing trace levels of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are proposed for consumption in Australia and New Zealand; however, it is unclear whether use of these products will negatively affect existing drug screening protocols. Consumption of low-content THC oil does not result in positive biological assessments. It is therefore highly unlikely that ingestion of products containing these levels of THC will negatively impact existing region-specific drug driving enforcement protocols.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29408718 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073817305492?via%3Dihub

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CBD Enhances the Anticancer Effects of THC

Posted on February 5, 2018 by David Worrell

Image result for molecular cancer therapeutics

“Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and other cannabinoids can act as direct anticancer agents in multiple types of cancer in culture and in vivo.

Cannabidiol Enhances the Inhibitory Effects of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Human GlioblastomaCell Proliferation and Survival.

Δ9-THC and Cannabidiol Inhibit the Growth of Multiple Glioblastoma Cell Lines.

Cannabidiol Enhances the Inhibitory Effects of Δ9-THC on Glioblastoma Cell Growth.

Combination treatments with cannabinoids may improve overall efficacy”

https://www.scribd.com/document/50154001/CBD-Enhances-the-Anticancer-Effects-of-THC-Journal-MCT-Marcu

“Cannabidiol Enhances the Inhibitory Effects of Δ⁹-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Human Glioblastoma Cell Proliferation and Survival” http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/9/1/180.full

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Phytochemical Aspects and Therapeutic Perspective of Cannabinoids in Cancer Treatment

Posted on February 4, 2018 by David Worrell

“Cannabis sativa L. (Cannabaceae) is one of the first plants cultivated by man and one of the oldest plant sources of fibre, food and remedies. Cannabinoids comprise the plant‐derived compounds and their synthetic derivatives as well as endogenously produced lipophilic mediators. Phytocannabinoids are terpenophenolic secondary metabolites predominantly produced in CannabissativaL. The principal active constituent is delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which binds to endocannabinoid receptors to exert its pharmacological activity, including psychoactive effect. The other important molecule of current interest is non‐psychotropic cannabidiol (CBD). Since 1970s, phytocannabinoids have been known for their palliative effects on some cancer‐associated symptoms such as nausea and vomiting reduction, appetite stimulation and pain relief. More recently, these molecules have gained special attention for their role in cancer cell proliferation and death. A large body of evidence suggests that cannabinoids affect multiple signalling pathways involved in the development of cancer, displaying an anti‐proliferative, proapoptotic, anti‐angiogenic and anti‐metastatic activity on a wide range of cell lines and animal models of cancer.” https://www.intechopen.com/books/natural-products-and-cancer-drug-discovery/phytochemical-aspects-and-therapeutic-perspective-of-cannabinoids-in-cancer-treatment]]>

Medical Cannabis for Neuropathic Pain.

Posted on February 2, 2018 by David Worrell

“Many cultures throughout history have used cannabis to treat a variety of painful ailments. Neuropathic pain is a complicated condition that is challenging to treat with our current medications. Recent scientific discovery has elucidated the intricate role of the endocannabinoid system in the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain. As societal perceptions change, and legislation on medical cannabis relaxes, there is growing interest in the use of medical cannabis for neuropathic pain.

We examined current basic scientific research and data from recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating medical cannabis for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

These studies involved patients with diverse etiologies of neuropathic pain and included medical cannabis with different THC concentrations and routes of administration. Multiple RCTs demonstrated efficacy of medical cannabis for treating neuropathic pain, with number needed to treat (NNT) values similar to current pharmacotherapies.

Although limited by small sample sizes and short duration of study, the evidence appears to support the safety and efficacy of short-term, low-dose cannabis vaporization and oral mucosal delivery for the treatment of neuropathic pain. The results suggest medical cannabis may be as tolerable and effective as current neuropathic agents; however, more studies are needed to determine the long-term effects of medical cannabis use. Furthermore, continued research to optimize dosing, cannabinoidratios, and alternate routes of administration may help to refine the therapeutic role of medical cannabis for neuropathic pain.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29388063 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11916-018-0658-8]]>

Cannabis Use, Lung Cancer, and Related Issues.

Posted on January 29, 2018 by David Worrell

“The cannabis plant and its derivatives have been exploited for centuries for recreational and medicinal purposes with millions of regular users around the world. The recreational use of cannabis is reflective of its neuropsychiatric effects such as anxiolysis and euphoria. However, cannabis appears to have an emerging therapeutic role, especially in chronic disease and as an adjunct to cancer treatment. Increasing evidence supports cannabis in the management of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting and for pain management, but studies are limited particularly by difficulties associated with standardized dosing estimates and inability to accurately assess biologic activities of compounds in cannabis and derivative products. Smoking cannabis has not been proven to be a risk factor in the development of lung cancer but the data are limited by small studies, misclassification due to self-reporting of usage, small numbers of heavy cannabis smoking and confounding of risk associated with known causative agents for lung cancer such as parallel chronic tobacco use. Cannabis and its biologically effective derivatives warrant additional research, ideally controlled trials where the CBD and the THC strength and usage are controlled and documented.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29374567

“Good News: There’s No Definitive Link Between Marijuana Use and Lung Cancer” http://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/health/news/a52634/marijuana-lung-cancer/

“Study Shows No Proven Link Between Weed-Smoking and Lung Cancer” http://www.complex.com/life/2017/01/weed-study-lung-cancer

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Detection and Quantification of Cannabinoids in Extracts of Cannabis sativa Roots Using LC-MS/MS.

Posted on January 25, 2018 by David Worrell

“A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry single-laboratory validation was performed for the detection and quantification of the 10 major cannabinoids of cannabis, namely, (-)-trans-Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol, cannabigerol, cannabichromene, tetrahydrocannabivarian, cannabinol, (-)-trans-Δ⁸-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiolic acid, cannabigerolic acid, and Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid-A, in the root extract of Cannabis sativa. Acetonitrile : methanol (80 : 20, v/v) was used for extraction; d₃-cannabidiol and d₃– tetrahydrocannabinol were used as the internal standards. All 10 cannabinoids showed a good regression relationship with r² > 0.99. The validated method is simple, sensitive, and reproducible and is therefore suitable for the detection and quantification of these cannabinoids in extracts of cannabis roots. To our knowledge, this is the first report for the quantification of cannabinoids in cannabis roots.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29359294 https://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.1055/s-0044-100798

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Practical considerations in medical cannabis administration and dosing.

Posted on January 9, 2018 by David Worrell

“Cannabis has been employed medicinally throughout history, but its recent legal prohibition, biochemical complexity and variability, quality control issues, previous dearth of appropriately powered randomised controlled trials, and lack of pertinent education have conspired to leave clinicians in the dark as to how to advise patients pursuing such treatment. With the advent of pharmaceutical cannabis-based medicines (Sativex/nabiximols and Epidiolex), and liberalisation of access in certain nations, this ignorance of cannabis pharmacology and therapeutics has become untenable. In this article, the authors endeavour to present concise data on cannabis pharmacology related to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) et al., methods of administration (smoking, vaporisation, oral), and dosing recommendations. Adverse events of cannabis medicine pertain primarily to THC, whose total daily dose-equivalent should generally be limited to 30mg/day or less, preferably in conjunction with CBD, to avoid psychoactive sequelae and development of tolerance. CBD, in contrast to THC, is less potent, and may require much higher doses for its adjunctive benefits on pain, inflammation, and attenuation of THC-associated anxiety and tachycardia. Dose initiation should commence at modest levels, and titration of any cannabis preparation should be undertaken slowly over a period of as much as two weeks. Suggestions are offered on cannabis-drug interactions, patient monitoring, and standards of care, while special cases for cannabis therapeutics are addressed: epilepsy, cancer palliation and primary treatment, chronic pain, use in the elderly, Parkinson disease, paediatrics, with concomitant opioids, and in relation to driving and hazardous activities.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29307505

http://www.ejinme.com/article/S0953-6205(18)30004-9/fulltext

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PTL401, a New Formulation Based on Pro-nano Dispersion Technology, Improves Oral Cannabinoids Bioavailability in Healthy Volunteers.

Posted on December 31, 2017 by David Worrell

Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences - JpharmSci Home

“There is growing clinical interest in developing and commercializing pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid products, containing primarily tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). The oral bioavailability of THC and CBD is very low due to extensive “first pass” metabolism.

A novel oral THC and CBD formulation, PTL401, utilizing an advanced self-emulsifying oral drug delivery system, was designed to circumvent the “first pass” effect. In this study, the bioavailability of THC and CBD from the PTL401 capsule was compared with similar doses from a marketed reference oromucosal spray (Sativex^®).

No outstanding safety concerns were noted following either administration.

We conclude that PTL401 is a safe and effective delivery platform for both CBD and THC. The relatively faster absorption and improved bioavailability, compared to the oromucosal spray, justifies further, larger scale clinical studies with this formulation.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29287930

http://jpharmsci.org/article/S0022-3549(17)30890-0/pdf

Cannabidiol Does Not Convert to Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in an In Vivo Animal Model.

Posted on December 30, 2017 by David Worrell

Image result for Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2017 Dec 1

“Introduction: Cannabidiol (CBD) can convert to Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in vitro with prolonged exposure to simulated gastric fluid; however, in vitro conditions may not be representative of the in vivo gut environment. Using the minipig, we investigated whether enteral CBD converts to THC in vivo.

Conclusions: Findings of the present study show that orally dosed CBD, yielding clinically relevant plasma exposures, does not convert to THC in the minipig, a species predictive of human GI tract function.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29285522