Tag Archives: marijuana

Pot patch considered medical breakthrough

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“Advocates are fighting to legalize marijuana. The University of Mississippi has the only legally grown marijuana crop in the nation.Faculty members and student researchers have now developed a new patch that could potentially provide help to patients who need it.

The patch developed at Ole Miss could help patients overcome problems associated with taking the drug in pill form. The patch is placed above the gum line.

“In addition to pain, it will include things like reducing intraocular pressure and therefore would be good for glaucoma. [It] will be good for alleviating the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy; it would also be good for appetite stimulation for patients suffering from the syndrome, anti-inflammatory activity, anti-anxiety,” explains Dr. ElSohly.”

More: http://www.myfoxal.com/story/21116615/pot-patch-offers-medicinal-marijuana-treatment-at-ole-miss

Ole Miss cooks up marijuana pain patch

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“(WMC-TV) – Ole Miss is home to the only legally grown marijuana crop in the nation and a new development there is creating quite a buzz. Faculty and student researchers say they created a new pain reliever in the form of a patch.

Dr. Mahmoud Elsohly is a faculty member at the School of Pharmacy at Ole Miss. He and his team have been working inside their marijuana research lab for nearly seven years to find alternative uses for THC, which is the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

“The plant itself has a great potential for good medicine coming out of the Cannabis plant…”

More: http://www.14news.com/story/21217891/a-look-ahead-ole-miss-cooks-up-marijuana-pain-patch

Form of medical marijuana won’t get you high, but it’s creating a buzz

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“The one-armed man loitered in the waiting room for much of the morning, flipping through magazines with impressive dexterity, quietly waiting for word that the doctor would see him. Now.

William Courtney, MD, offered the chair to the right of the desk, the one occupied during regular office hours by a steady stream of patients seeking a doctor’s recommendation for marijuana. In California, such a recommendation means an adult may grow, buy and smoke marijuana, all while remaining safely within the confines of state law.

The singular peculiarity of Courtney’s “pot doc” practice here in Northern California is what he recommends: Don’t smoke the stuff, he tells patients. Eat it.”

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/31/AR2010053103231.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/

Israeli Study Finds Patients with Chronic Disease Benefit from Marijuana

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“A new study out of Israel looks to change that. Led by Zach Klein, a specialist in medical marijuana policy and the director of the documentary Prescribed Grass, researchers at Tel Aviv University tested medical marijuana on 19 nursing home residents. Patients were treated with cannabis in the form of powder, oil, vapor, or smoke three times daily over the course of a year.

 Seventeen of the 19 patients regained lost weight, and symptoms of pain, stiffness, tremors, insomnia, and PTSD decreased drastically. Their moods and communication skills also improved, and they had fewer nightmares and flashbacks, according to Klein.

“After I found this, everything has been better,” Moshe Rute, a Holocaust survivor stricken by nightmares and the effects of a stroke told the Times of Israel. “I’m still a Holocaust child, but I’m finally able to better cope.”

The 80-year-old Hadarim resident is one of 11,000 Israelis with permits from the government to use marijuana for medical purposes, a number that is growing rapidly.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s the future,” Klein said to the Times. “This is God’s doing, and it’s marvelous in our eyes.”

Perhaps as important as the improvement in pain management and quality of life was marijuana’s ability to replace some of the medication taken by the patients. By the end of the study, 72 percent were able to reduce the number of drugs they were taking daily. This includes medication for Parkinson’s disease, pain relievers, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers, many of which can have debilitating and severe side effects.

“We know how to extend life, but sometimes it’s not pleasant and can cause a great deal of suffering, so we’re looking to alleviate this, to add quality to longevity,” head nurse Inbal Sikorin told the Times. “Cannabis meets this need. Almost all our patients are eating again, and their moods have improved tremendously.”

The country that discovered tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, in the 1960’s doesn’t have the stigma attached to marijuana that the United States does, as even senior rabbis have no qualms with its use or spread.

Klein is working on a new study at Israel’s Reuth Medical Center, in which he hopes to establish a connection between medical cannabis and improved swallowing. One of the biggest concerns with chronically ill patients is food intake, and Klein believes that cannabis, which can stimulate regions of the brain associated with swallowing reflexes, will have a positive impact.”

http://americannewsreport.com/nationalpainreport/israeli-study-finds-patients-with-chronic-disease-benefit-from-marijuana-8818444.html

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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“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/

The pharmacologic and clinical effects of medical cannabis.

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“Cannabis, or marijuana, has been used for medicinal purposes for many years. Several types of cannabinoid medicines are available in the United States and Canada. Dronabinol (schedule III), nabilone (schedule II), and nabiximols (not U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved) are cannabis-derived pharmaceuticals.

Medical cannabis or medical marijuana, a leafy plant cultivated for the production of its leaves and flowering tops, is a schedule I drug, but patients obtain it through cannabis dispensaries and statewide programs. The effect that cannabinoid compounds have on the cannabinoid receptors (CB(1) and CB(2) ) found in the brain can create varying pharmacologic responses based on formulation and patient characteristics. The cannabinoid Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabinol has been determined to have the primary psychoactive effects; the effects of several other key cannabinoid compounds have yet to be fully elucidated. Dronabinol and nabilone are indicated for the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy and of anorexia associated with weight loss in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome. However, pain and muscle spasms are the most common reasons that medical cannabis is being recommended.

Studies of medical cannabis show significant improvement in various types of pain and muscle spasticity. Reported adverse effects are typically not serious, with the most common being dizziness. Safety concerns regarding cannabis include the increased risk of developing schizophrenia with adolescent use, impairments in memory and cognition, accidental pediatric ingestions, and lack of safety packaging for medical cannabis formulations. This article will describe the pharmacology of cannabis, effects of various dosage formulations, therapeutics benefits and risks of cannabis for pain and muscle spasm, and safety concerns of medical cannabis use.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23386598

Modulation of Cannabinoid Receptor Activation as a Neuroprotective Strategy for EAE and Stroke

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“These results provide evidence that alteration of the activation patterns of the various cannabinoid receptors warrant consideration for future therapeutic strategies.

Interest in the medicinal use of Cannabis sativa (marijuana) has a long historical record, extending back thousands of years. In comparison to the extensive history for medicinal applications of marijuana, the existence of an “endocannabinoid system”, with important homeostatic and pathologic functions, has only recently gained appreciation. The endocannabinoid system consists of endogenously produced cannabinoids, their receptors, and the enzymes responsible for their synthesis and degradation…

Although used in ancient Greece, Rome, and China for therapeutic purposes, concern about the use of cannabinoids as a drug of abuse has dampened interest in developing the potential therapeutic benefits of these compounds. However, a better understanding of the biologic effects has led recently to an upsurge in interest for the development of therapeutic drugs through modification of the endocannabinoid system. An additional incentive was provided by the development of synthetic cannabinoid analogs and specific inhibitors of cannabinoid receptors. Several excellent reviews cover the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids….

The present review is focused on the effects of CB2 receptor activation in models of multiple sclerosis (experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis) and stroke (middle cerebral occlusion/reperfusion).

In summary, selective CB2 receptor agonists and CB1 receptor antagonists have significant potential for neuroprotection in animal models of two devastating diseases that currently lack effective treatment options.”

Full text: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2855650/

Skin Cancer Patient Says Oil From Medical Marijuana Is A Cure

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“A Ferndale man claims he’s found a cure for his cancer and it’s now legal in Michigan.”

%name Skin Cancer Patient Says Oil From Medical Marijuana Is A Cure.

“WWJ’s Sandra McNeill spoke with Michael McShane who claims he’s been using a topical oil made from medical marijuana on the skin cancer on his forehead and in just over two months it’s nearly gone.

“I’ve got biopsies, chart notes, photographs … in about three weeks I’m going to go back  and really wrap this part of the case up,” said McShane. “It’s made the same way a lot of the fragrances and perfumes are made, and the oil is applied, in my case, directly to the skin, and within 10 weeks my cancer is gone.

“From a topical standpoint I don’t experience any euphoria,” said McShane.

McShane freely admits that he has smoked marijuana since he was in his teens, “It went from a party to a cure for cancer,” he said.”

Read more: http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2011/08/29/skin-cancer-patient-says-oil-from-medical-marijuana-is-a-cure/