New Developments in Cannabinoid-Based Medicine

GreenDragon2k · 10-08-2008, 12:55 AM

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Neuroprotective Effects

Cannabinoids have been found to be neuroprotective agents against excitotoxicity in vitro and acute brain damage in vivo. 2-Arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG), specifically, has been shown to significantly reduce brain edema, infarct volume and hippocampal cell death after closed head injury in mice, resulting in significant improvements in functional recovery.10

Cannabinoids have also been shown to downregulate microglial production of cytokines of the IL-2 family, lessening neuroinflammatory processes involved in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis.11, 12

In other research, cannabinoids have demonstrated neuroprotective antioxidant effects, specifically, an upregulation of mRNA levels of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase, a key enzyme in endogenous defenses against oxidative stress. In these studies, cannabinoids provided neuroprotection against the progressive degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons occurring in Parkinson's disease.13

Synthetic cannabinoids (HU-210, WIN-55,212-2, and JWH-133) have been able to block amyloid-beta peptide induced activation of microglia and its resulting neurotoxicity, preventing cognitive impairment in rats and offering promise as agents in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.14

Widespread Effects beyond the Brain

Outside the brain, the endocannabinoid system has been found to be activated in virtually every physiological system researchers have investigated, playing a critical role in the modulation of the autonomic nervous system, the immune system, reproductive and gastrointestinal tracts, sympathetic ganglia, arteries, lung, heart and endocrine glands.

Gastrointestinal Effects

Both CB1 and CB2 receptors are found in the gastrointestinal tract on enteric nerves, and pharmacological effects of their activation include gastroprotection via reduction of abnormally high gastric and intestinal secretion, intestinal motility and inflammation. The digestive tract also contains the endogenous cannabinoids (i.e., anandamide and 2-aracidonylglycerol) and mechanisms for endocannabinoid inactivation (i.e., endocannabinoids' uptake and enzymatic degradation).

This combination of actions has led researchers to suggest that pharmacological modulation of the endogenous cannabinoid system could provide new treatments for GI diseases including gastric ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, secretory diarrhea, paralytic ileus, and GERD. Cannabinoids (e.g., nabilone and THC) are already in use clinically as anti-emetics helping to prevent cachexia in cancer patients.15,16, 17

Insulin Modulation

Cannabinoid compounds may one day play a role in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In the pancreas, both CB1 and CB2 receptors are found on pancreatic islet cells where CB1 stimulation has been shown to enhance insulin and glucagon secretion, while CB2 activation lowers glucose-dependent insulin secretion.18, 19, 20

Anti-inflammatory Effects

Cannabinoids' anti-inflammatory actions may render these agents helpful in the treatment of arthritis. Several recently developed synthetic cannabinoid agonists (including HU-210 and WIN-55,212-2) have been shown to inhibit the expression of iNOS and COX-2, and the resulting activation of NF-kappaB, thus protecting the cartilage matrix from degradation induced by cytokines and attenuating joint damage in animal models of arthritis.21

andg_93 · 10-08-2008, 08:49 AM

Gotta love the plant. So here is my take on this. Wounder Drug :P. I have read at least 200 of these studies thus far and they all point to a similar conclusion. cannabinoids can play an incredible role in the treatment of once thought to be untreatable illnesses. I honestly think its only a matter of time before we start seeing ways for these cannabinoids to not only halt the progression of a number of illnesses but also eliminate them.

Not only that but it seems like cannabinoids play a major role is providing cures, and comfort for the majority of illnesses that either have no cure or have very unstable treatments.

Seems to me that Cannabis as a whole should be placed above penicillin on the medical achievements list.

Grendel · 10-08-2008, 12:52 PM

and it will be vindicated. Sooner or later.

-Grendel

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