Tag Archives: treatment

Pharmacology and toxicology of Cannabis derivatives and endocannabinoid agonists.

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“For centuries Cannabis sativa and cannabis extracts have been used in natural medicine.

Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main active ingredient of Cannabis. THC seems to be responsible for most of the pharmacological and therapeutic actions of cannabis.

In a few countries THC extracts (i.e. Sativex) or THC derivatives such as nabilone, and dronabinol are used in the clinic for the treatment of several pathological conditions like chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, multiple sclerosis and glaucoma.

Over recent years, alternative approaches using synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists or agents acting as activators of the endocannabinoid systems are under scrutiny with the hope to develop more effective and safer clinical applications.

The present article review recent study and patents with focus on the cannabinoid system as a target for the treatment of central nervous system disorders with emphasis on agonists.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19832688

Memory Loss From Marijuana Blocked By Ibuprofen; Drug Duo May Halt Alzheimer’s Progression

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“Marijuana’s primary side-effect as a medicine — memory loss — may soon become all but forgotten.

In a stunningly simple turn, investigators found that a simple over-the-counter painkiller, such as ibuprofen, blocks memory loss from the drug’s active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The drug combination may also prevent neurological damage from Alzheimer’s Disease, opening possibilities too for the treatment of a variety of other diseases and conditions.

Nearly five millennia into the history of medical marijuana, investigators from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center say they’ve found a way to strip marijuana’s most deleterious side effect. The discovery may prompt U.S. regulators to soon approve marijuana-based treatments for ailments beyond nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients.”

http://www.medicaldaily.com/memory-loss-marijuana-blocked-ibuprofen-drug-duo-may-halt-alzheimers-progression-263443

Role of the cannabinoid system in the transit of beta-amyloid across the blood-brain barrier.

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“Emerging evidence suggests beta-amyloid (Aβ) deposition in the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain is the result of impaired clearance, due in part to diminished Aβ transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Recently, modulation of the cannabinoid system was shown to reduce Aβ brain levels and improve cognitive behavior in AD animal models.

The purpose of the current studies was to investigate the role of the cannabinoid system in the clearance of Aβ across the BBB..

The current studies demonstrate, for the first time, a role for the cannabinoid system in the transit of Aβ across the BBB. These findings provide insight into the mechanism by which cannabinoid treatment reduces Aβ burden in the AD brain and offer additional evidence on the utility of this pathway as a treatment for AD.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23831388

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/alzheimers-disease-ad/

Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol/Cannabidiol (Sativex®): A Review of Its Use in Patients with Moderate to Severe Spasticity Due to Multiple Sclerosis.

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“Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)/cannabidiol (CBD) [Sativex®] is an oromucosal spray formulation that contains principally THC and CBD at an approximately 1:1 fixed ratio, derived from cloned Cannabis sativa L. plants.

The main active substance, THC, acts as a partial agonist at human cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2)…

THC/CBD is approved in a number of countries, including Germany and the UK, as an add-on treatment for symptom improvement in adult patients with moderate to severe spasticity due to multiple sclerosis who have not responded adequately to other anti-spasticity medication and who demonstrate clinically significant improvement in spasticity-related symptoms during an initial trial of therapy.

In the largest multinational clinical trial that evaluated the approved THC/CBD regimen in this population, 12 weeks’ double-blind treatment with THC/CBD significantly reduced spasticity severity (primary endpoint) compared with placebo in patients who achieved a clinically significant improvement in spasticity after 4 weeks’ single-blind THC/CBD treatment, as assessed by a patient-rated numerical rating scale.

A significantly greater proportion of THC/CBD than placebo recipients achieved a ≥30 % reduction (a clinically relevant reduction) in spasticity severity. The efficacy of THC/CBD has been also shown in at least one everyday clinical practice study (MOVE 2). THC/CBD was generally well tolerated in clinical trials. Dizziness and fatigue were reported most frequently during the first 4 weeks of treatment and resolved within a few days even with continued treatment.

Thus, add-on THC/CBD is a useful symptomatic treatment option for its approved indication.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24671907

The Health Benefits of Medical Cannabis

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“Few people may know this but cannabis, or marijuana, had been popular as a remedy since ancient times.

It was in 2727 B.C. when there was the first record of its use in China. It was also familiar to ancient Greeks, Romans and people from the Middle East.

It was only during 1600 when cannabis use began to be regulated and restricted…

It was only recently that the public knew that cannabis has many benefits which were previously unknown to many people. Cannabis has been legalized in some states because it is non-toxic, can be moderately used by adults and has some beneficial effects on health.

Medical Cannabis

Medical cannabis is the term used to refer to the use of marijuana, cultivated with medical seeds, and other cannabinoid substances for treating health problems. Marijuana is a mixture of green, brown, crumpled and dried leaves from the marijuana plant. This mixture of leaves are rolled up and smoked like a cigar or cigarette or smoked through a pipe. It can also be mixed with food and eaten. Its mode of administration to the user includes vaporizing or smoking dried buds, consuming extracts and the ingestion of capsules. Synthetic cannabinoids are even available in some countries such as dronabinol and nabilone. While in some countries the recreational use of marijuana is illegal, in some countries its medical use is legal.”

http://www.doctortipster.com/19879-the-health-benefits-of-medical-cannabis.html

Cannabinoids inhibit neurodegeneration in models of multiple sclerosis

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“…exogenous CB1agonists can provide significant neuroprotection from the consequences of inflammatory CNS disease… Therefore, in addition to symptom management, cannabis may also slow the neurodegenerative processes that ultimately lead to chronic disability in multiple sclerosis and probably other diseases.

The results of this study are important because they suggest that in addition to symptom management, cannabinoids offer the potential to slow the progression of a disease that as yet has no satisfactory treatment.”

http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/126/10/2191.full

Summary of evidence-based guideline: Complementary and alternative medicine in multiple sclerosis: Report of the Guideline Development Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology.

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“Clinicians might offer oral cannabis extract for spasticity symptoms and pain (excluding central neuropathic pain) (Level A). Clinicians might offer tetrahydrocannabinol for spasticity symptoms and pain (excluding central neuropathic pain) (Level B). Clinicians should counsel patients that these agents are probably ineffective for objective spasticity (short-term)/tremor (Level B) and possibly effective for spasticity and pain (long-term) (Level C). Clinicians might offer Sativex oromucosal cannabinoid spray (nabiximols) for spasticity symptoms, pain, and urinary frequency (Level B). Clinicians should counsel patients that these agents are probably ineffective for objective spasticity/urinary incontinence (Level B). Clinicians might choose not to offer these agents for tremor (Level C). Clinicians might counsel patients that magnetic therapy is probably effective for fatigue and probably ineffective for depression (Level B); fish oil is probably ineffective for relapses, disability, fatigue, MRI lesions, and quality of life (QOL) (Level B); ginkgo biloba is ineffective for cognition (Level A) and possibly effective for fatigue (Level C); reflexology is possibly effective for paresthesia (Level C); Cari Loder regimen is possibly ineffective for disability, symptoms, depression, and fatigue (Level C); and bee sting therapy is possibly ineffective for relapses, disability, fatigue, lesion burden/volume, and health-related QOL (Level C)…”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24663230

AAN calls oral cannabinoids effective for MS pain, spasticity

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“An expert panel organized by the American Academy of Neurology called oral cannabis extract the only complementary and alternative medicine unequivocally effective for helping patients with multiple sclerosis, specifically easing their pain and symptoms of spasticity, medicine possibly for as long as 1 year of treatment.”

http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/cme/click-for-credit-articles/single-article/aan-calls-oral-cannabinoids-effective-for-ms-pain-spasticity/6ca42663d197581d76107390a304ec4d.html

Smoked Cannabis Reduces Some Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

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“Controlled trial shows improved spasticity, reduced pain after smoking medical marijuana

A clinical study of 30 adult patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has shown that smoked cannabis may be an effective treatment for spasticity – a common and disabling symptom of this neurological disease.”

http://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2012-05-14-smoked-cannabis-reduces-symptoms-of-multiple-sclerosis.aspx

Medical marijuana

“Medical marijuana eases some MS symptoms, neurologists report” http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-treating-ms-with-cannabis-20140324,0,2596095.story

Medical Marijuana Pills May Ease Some MS Symptoms: Review

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Medical Marijuana Pills May Ease Some MS Symptoms: Review

“Medical marijuana pills and sprays might ease the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, but most other alternative therapies do little to lessen the pain and muscle rigidity that often accompanies the disease, according to new guidelines.

To reach that conclusion, an expert panel from the American Academy of Neurology reviewed more than 40 years of research on alternative medicine treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS)…

The guidelines are published in the March 25 issue of the journal Neurology.”

http://consumer.healthday.com/public-health-information-30/marijuana-news-759/guideline-medical-marijuana-may-ease-some-ms-symptoms-686096.html#.UzDKXsAnP9M.twitter

“Marijuana May Ease Some Symptoms of MS, New Guidelines Find. Medical marijuana pills or an oral spray made from cannabis may help ease some of the painful spasms caused by multiple sclerosis that make day-to-day life hard for patients, according to new guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology.” http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/marijuana-may-ease-some-symptoms-ms-new-guidelines-find-n60626