A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Alcohol and opiate abuse
Cannabis can ease both the physical and psychological effects associated with withdrawal from these (and other) addictive substances.
The effect of cannabinoids on withdrawal from alcohol
“Although far from a rigorous, controlled clinical trial, this study provides anecdotal evidence indicating that acute withdrawal symptoms including irritability, loss of appetite, and insomnia are at least temporarily ameliorated by administration of cannabis”
Download the pdf: Here
CBD (Cannabidiol) protects liver from binge alcohol-induced steatosis
“Importantly, cannabidiol can prevent the decrease in autophagy induced by alcohol. In conclusion, these results show that cannabidiol protects mouse liver from acute alcohol-induced steatosis through multiple mechanisms including attenuation of alcohol-mediated oxidative stress, prevention of JNK MAPK activation, and increasing autophagy”
Download the pdf: Here
Cannabinoids: implications for opiate dependence and withdrawal
“High rates of relapse and limited treatment success rates for opiate addiction have prompted a search for new approaches. For many opiate addicts, achieving abstinence may be further complicated by poly-drug use and co-morbid mental disorders. Research over the past decade has shed light on the influence of endocannabinoids on the opioid system. Evidence from both animal and clinical studies point towards an interaction between these two systems, and suggest that targeting the endocannabinoid system may provide novel interventions for managing opiate dependence and withdrawal”
Download the pdf: Here
Alzheimer’s disease
There is growing evidence that cannabinoids can play a neuroprotective role in stroke, traumatic brain injury, and several neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. In relation to Alzheimer’s, research indicates that cannabinoids may prevent the formation of deposits in the brain associated with this degenerative disease, some studies have shown that cannabinoids may be effective at interrupting the pathological process in Alzheimer’s.
Cannabinoids for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease:
“In conclusion, in light of the polyvalent properties for the treatment of AD and the limited side effects exhibited by these compounds, progress toward a clinical trial to test the capacity of cannabinoids to curb this neurodegenerative disease seems to be fully justified”
Download the .pdf: Here
Targeting the Endocannabinoid System in Alzheimer’s Disease
“Inflammation and oxidative stress are generally accepted as a critical risk factor for the development of Alzheimer’s Disease, and interventions such as cannabinoids that attenuate these risks without arresting microglial activity and have innate neuroprotective benefits are attractive as potential preventative treatments for Alzheimer’s”
Download the .pdf: Here
Alzheimer’s disease; taking the edge off with cannabinoids?
Manipulation of the cannabinoid pathway offers a novel pharmacological approach for the treatment of AD that may be more efficacious than current treatment regimes. Cannabinoids can reduce the oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and apoptosis that is evoked by AD, while promoting the brain’s intrinsic repair mechanisms.
Download the .pdf: Here
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
ALS is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, it is a fatal, degenerative disease marked by progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. Progression is characterized by progressive motor neuron loss, paralysis and death occurs within two to five years of diagnosis. There are (currently) no effective pharmacological agents to treat this devastating disease.
ALS often begins in the hands, feet or limbs, as it is a degenerative disease (after its onset) it will spread to other parts of the body and as the disease advances muscles will become progressively weaker.
Some of the symptoms include:
Difficulty walking, tripping, difficulty in carrying out normal daily activities, weakness in leg, feet or ankles, hand weakness or clumsiness, slurring of speech or trouble swallowing, muscle cramps and twitching in arms, shoulders and tongue.
ALS sufferers can benefit from the therapeutic properties of cannabinoids, e.g. pain relief, muscle relaxation, bronchodilation, appetite stimulation and relief from insomnia. Additionally, there are other benefits, anti-oxidative and neuroprotective effects may prolong neuronal cell survival, furthermore, there are indications that THC can delay the progression of disease.
The Endocannabinoid System: A Putative Role in Neurodegenerative Diseases
“In some acute or chronic pathologies the central nervous system, such as neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases, endocannabinoids can perform a pro-homeostatic and neuroprotective function, through the activation of CB1 and CB2 receptors”
Download the .pdf: Here
CB2 cannabinoid agonist prolongs survival in ALS when initiated at symptom onset
“Cannabinoids produce antiinflammatory actions via cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), and delay the progression of neuro-inflammatory diseases. Additionally, CB2 receptors, which normally exist primarily in the periphery, are dramatically up-regulated in inflamed neural tissues associated with CNS disorders”
Download the .pdf: Here
Anorexia nervosa
It is well known that cannabis can improve appetite, however it is only comparatively recently that the CB1 receptor has been shown to have a role in appetite control, peripheral metabolism, and body weight regulation.
The Endocannabinoid System as an Emerging Target of Pharmacotherapy
“It has been known since antiquity that use of cannabis in its various forms increases appetite, particularly for palatable foods, and can also result in significant weight gain” (Donovan, 1845; Berry and Mechoulam, 2002)
Download the .pdf: Here
Role of endocannabinoids and their analogues in obesity and eating disorders
“One emerging function of these lipid mediators is the regulation of feeding behaviour and body weight. Anandamide causes overeating in rats because of its ability to activate cannabinoid receptors. This action is of therapeutic relevance: cannabinoid agonists are currently used to alleviate anorexia and nausea in AIDS patients”
Download the .pdf: Here
Arthritis (rheumatoid and osteoporosis)
Also see: Inflammation
There are over 100 different forms of arthritis and one in five adults worldwide are diagnosed with some form of arthritis by their Doctors. Studies have shown that THC and CBD have potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, e.g. CBD can block the progression of rheumatoid arthritis producing significant improvement in symptoms.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating disease which results in inflammation of the joints with subsequent destruction of cartilage, pannus formation and infiltration of immune cells. RA sufferers also suffer (generally) from, depression, fatigue, insulin resistance and cachexia.
RA sufferers also have an increased risk of cardiovascular problems.
CBD is an oral anti-arthritic therapeutic in murine collagen-induced arthritis
“Overall, the arthritis is chronic relapsing and progressive, it was found that 5 mg/kg i.p. (25 mg/kg orally) CBD was optimal in suppressing the arthritis”
Download the .pdf: Here
Cannabinoid receptor (CB2) as a potential therapeutic target in rheumatoid arthritis
“The present study suggests that a selective CB2 agonist could be a new therapy for RA that inhibits production of inflammatory mediators from FLS, and osteoclastogenesis”
Download the .pdf: Here
Transdermal cannabidiol reduces inflammation and pain in a rat model of arthritis
“These studies demonstrate transdermal administration of CBD has long-lasting therapeutic effects without psychoactive side-effects. Thus, use of topical CBD has potential as effective treatment of arthritic symptomatology”
Download the .pdf: Here
Cannabinoid-based drugs targeting CB1, the sympathetic nervous system and arthritis
“The best treatment option might be a combination of a peripherally restricted CB1 antagonist and a FAAH inhibitor raising systemic levels of N-acylethanolamines. CB1 antagonism has already been shown to result in anti-arthritic effects in mice and this treatment might also increase adrenergic signalling in RA, thereby reducing TNF and IFN-γ and decreasing joint inflammation and cartilage destruction”
Download the .pdf: Here
Asthma
Can marijuana help people with asthma or other breathing disorders?
The British Journal of Pharmacology have published the findings of a French study indicating that THC can block muscle contractions caused by the signalling molecule, acetylcholine (required to maintain airway muscle tone). Many of the pharmaceutical products to treat asthma also work by blocking acetylcholine.
In 1973, Professor Donald Tashkin at UCLA and his team discovered that cannabis was an effective bronchodilator, the study found that the airways of asthma sufferers widen after inhaling cannabis vapour.
Another positive effect of cannabis was reported:
“It also succeeded in reversing experimentally induced asthma, in a manner that was comparable to what could be achieved with a standard therapeutic bronchodilator that was widely used at the time.”
Cannabis was administered to the subjects in the (above) 1973 study via smoking (in joints)
“The problem with the smoke is that it contains a lot of noxious components that are irritating to respiratory tissue and could lead to an inflammatory response in the central airways, which would not be a good thing to develop in an asthmatic.”
Today of course cannabis vaporisers are widely available and for asthma sufferers vaporising is a much better option than smoking.
Dr Tashkin says in regard to vaporising:
“If you vaporised it, you would eliminate all the other ingredients in the smoke that are similar to components in tobacco smoke, I don’t know if anyone’s ever studied the effect of vaporised THC on airway smooth muscle, but my guess is that it would lead to bronchodilation.”
Read more: Here
Effects of smoked marijuana in experimentally induced asthma
“After methacholine-induced bronchospasm, placebo marijuana and saline inhalation produced minimal changes in specific airway conductance and thoracic gas volume, whereas 2% marijuana and isoproterenol each caused a prompt correction of the bronchospasm and associated hyperinflation. After exercise-induced bronchospasm, placebo marijuana and saline were followed by gradual recovery during 30 to 60 min, whereas 2% marijuana and isoproterenol caused an immediate reversal of exercise-induced asthma and hyperinflation”
More details: Here
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is one of the most common psychiatric childhood disorders, characterized by persistent impairments in attention and concentration with the associated symptoms of impulsivity and hyperactivity.
A study published in 2013 in the Journal of Substance Use & Misuse reported that some ADHD sufferers were self-medicating with cannabis to help manage hyperactive and impulsive behaviour.
Commonly prescribed medications for treating ADHD are Adderall and Ritalin, both of which have unwanted side-effects, e.g. nervousness, loss of appetite and insomnia, some ADHD sufferers resort to cannabis to treat their ADHD and some chose cannabis to combat the side effects of their prescribed medication(s).
The co-author of a German study conducted in 2015 Dr Eva Milz reported that currently prescribed medications were “more demanding” on patients and that cannabis brought them “control that helped them in life, love and work, without feeling intoxicated.”
Another doctor involved in the study (Dr Bearman) went on to say that his first choice would be to treat a patient with cannabis alone:
“One of the important criteria in practicing medicine is to balance the side effects versus the therapeutic effects. The therapeutic effects of marijuana are the same or better than conventional drugs… and the side effects are much less.”
Many of the adult ADHD sufferers at Bud Buddies have resorted to administering cannabis rather than the medications prescribed by their doctors, we are also assisting and advising parents of children with ADHD here in the UK.
In American states where medical cannabis is authorised parents can talk freely,
Dr Jean Talleyrand, of MediCann in California reports in a recent article that he has treated 50 ADHD patients aged between 14 and 18 years old, you can read the article: Here
A problem with researchers (in the main) studying cannabis and ADHD is that they seem to focus on ADHD sufferers and their ‘illicit drug’ use as if it is a problem caused by ADHD, not many researchers seem to address the fact that many ADHD sufferers are self-medicating, the paper below for example comes to the conclusion that ADHD sufferers have a higher incidence of SUD (substance use disorder).
ADHD subtypes and substance use and use disorders in NESARC
“Importantly our findings suggest that the presence of ADHD symptoms, even when not satisfying diagnostic criteria, is strongly associated with substance use and SUD. This is an important factor for consideration when tailoring intervention”
Download the .pdf: Here
It is worth noting that the above study was (in part) funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the report authors are suggesting that “intervention” should be tailored, but this raises the question:
“if ADHD sufferers are self-medicating with cannabis then why would an “intervention” be necessary?”
Talking with ADHD sufferers about the benefits they receive from cannabis seems like a more logical approach.
A Qualitative Analysis of Online Forum Discussions on Cannabis and ADHD
“Despite that there are no clinical recommendations or systematic research supporting the beneficial effects of cannabis use for ADHD, online discussions indicate that cannabis is considered therapeutic for ADHD—this is the first study to identify such a trend”
Download the .pdf: Here
Atherosclerosis (arteriosclerotic vascular disease or ASVD)
ALS is a chronic inflammation disease in which artery walls thicken due to the accumulation of fatty materials such as cholesterol and it is the primary cause of myocardial infarction and stroke. There is evidence that CB2 receptors seem to be protective in myocardial ischaemia and THC has been shown to inhibit plaque progression.
In addition, vascular and myocardial CB1 receptors contribute to the modulation of blood pressure and heart rate.
Cannabinoid receptors in acute and chronic complications of atherosclerosis
“Cannabinoids such as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) modulate immune functions and therefore have a therapeutic potential for the treatment of inflammatory. It is thought that the immunomodulatory effects of cannabinoids are mediated by CB2 receptors expressed on immune cells. A growing body of evidence suggests that endocannabinoid signalling plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of atherogenesis and its clinical manifestation
Download the .pdf: Here
Autism In a well-documented case Marie Myung-Ok Lee has been treating her autistic son with legally acquired medical marijuana for several years. It has helped calm her son’s gastrointestinal pain and decrease his associated violent behaviour.