Monthly Archives: February 2013

Role of cannabinoid and vanilloid receptors in invasion of human breast carcinoma cells.

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“It is known that the diversified effects of cannabinoid on the fate of carcinoma cells are mediated predominantly through receptors. However, little is known about the effects of the individual activities of cannabinoid and noncannabinoid receptors. Here we investigate the role of cannabinoid receptor (CB) 1, CB2, and transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 in cell proliferation and invasion patterns in the MDA-MB-231 cell line.

Our results showed that activation of CB1 and vanilloid receptors by methanandamide, a nonselective agonist, and arachidonyl-2′-choloroethylamide (ACEA) and N-oleoyldopamine, selective agonists, reduced invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells at pharmacological concentrations. Accordingly, CB1 activation resulted in decreased expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2. On the other hand, administration of a CB2 agonist (CB65) increased cell invasion and expression of MMP2. The data obtained from MTT assay did not show any correlation between reduced invasion and cytotoxic effects of drugs. In addition, the level of vascular endothelial growth factor was significantly reduced in treatment with (R)-(+)-methanandamide, ACEA, CB65, and AM251 (a potent agonist for GPR55 and selective antagonist of CB1) compared with control. Elevated expression of cyclooxygenase-2 was observed in all of the MDA-MB-231 cells treated with agonists.

These results underline the influence of cannabinoid and vanilloid receptors on the invasiveness of MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma cells.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23394450

Cannabis compound can help cells

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“Cannabis has been used recreationally and for medicinal purposes for centuries, yet its 60 plus active components are only partly understood. Now scientists have discovered how a compound in cannabis can help cells to function in our bodies, and aid recovery after a damaging event.

In a paper published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the researchers report on their studies into cannabidiol – a naturally occurring molecule found in cannabis.

Also known as CBD, it is not the constituent that gives the high – that compound is called tetrahydrocannabinol or THC – and so may be more acceptable as a drug treatment.

Both compounds are currently used in a pharmaceutical medicine to help patients relieve pain and other symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis.

Now researchers have discovered how CBD actually works within brain cells.

By interacting with mitochondria – which are the power generators of all cells – it can help maintain normal levels of calcium allowing cells to function properly and providing a greater resistance to damage.

Disturbance of calcium levels has long been associated with a number of brain disorders. So the finding could have implications for the development of new treatments for disorders related to malfunctioning mitochondria.

Dr Bettina Platt, from the University’s School of Medical Sciences, said: “Scientists have known for a long time that cannabidiol can help with pain relief but we never really knew how it worked.

“However we have discovered what it actually does at the cellular level.

“We are hoping that our findings can instruct the development of cannabidiol based treatments for disorders related to mitochondrial dysfunction such as Parkinson’s disease or Huntington’s disease.”

More: http://phys.org/news154280470.html

Alcohol Not Marijuana Triggers Drug Abuse in Teenagers

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“If you want your kids to stay away from drugs, then you might want to keep teenagers off alcohol because a new study says that long term drug abuse is likely to occur due to alcohol, not marijuana, use.

Researchers analyzed the data to find out what substances were being tried by students. They checked for use of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, amphetamines, tranquilizers and other narcotics.

Alcohol was the first substance to be tried by students, the results showed.

“By recognizing the important predictive role of alcohol and delaying initiation of alcohol use, school officials and public health leaders can positively impact the progression of substance use. I am confident in our findings and the clear implications they have for school-based prevention programs. By delaying and/or preventing the use of alcohol, these programs can indirectly reduce the rate of use of other substances,” Adam Barry, an assistant professor and researcher in the College of Health and Human Performance at the University of Florida.

“These findings add further credence to the literature identifying alcohol as the gateway drug to other substance use,” Barry said.”

Read more: http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/10771/20120711/alcohol-addiction-marijuana-drugs.htm

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/

Juicing Cannabis: The Potential Health Benefits of Treating Cannabis Like a Vegetable

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“The Health Benefits of Juicing Cannabis.

Pressed vegetable juices are all the rage in America right now, so it’s no surprise that someone would eventually look into the benefits of juicing cannabis as well. In fact, some people have even suggested that cannabis should be considered and classified as a vegetable.

Vegetables are usually an herbaceous plant grown for an edible part, usually eaten as part of a meal. This typically refers to the leaf, stem, flower, or root of a plant. In 1967, the meaning of “vegetable,” was specified to mean, “Plant cultivated for food, edible herb or root.” Some vegetables may be eaten raw, and others must be cooked in order to be edible. When certain fruits and vegetables are heated, they lose tons of beneficial enzymes and nutrients. Cannabis is no different.

Cannabis preparation techniques are based on what benefits you seek from the plant. By juicing the cannabis, you receive most of the medical benefits of the plant without the, “high”. Cannabis in its raw form is not psychoactive in any way. In fact the psychoactive effects of cannabis is purely a human aspect of the plant that, “has nothing to do with the 34 million years of evolution the plant has,” according to Dr. William L. Courtney. Courtney is a dietary raw cannabis specialist, and a strong believer in the plants healing powers.”

Read more: http://www.medicaljane.com/cannabis-the-foundation-of-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

New Study Shows Cannabis May Reverse Symptoms of Dementia

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“In what could turn out to be a groundbreaking study, a group from Neuroscience Research Australia has been examining if cannabidiol – one of the main ingredients in cannabis – could reverse some of the symptoms of dementia, specifically Alzheimer’s disease. Early research for the study has found that it does.” images

“In the study, mice were injected with a disease analogous to Alzheimer’s, and then given doses of cannabidiol. The results so far are quite drastic; “It basically brings the performance of the animals back to the level of healthy animals,” said Tim Karl, one of the study’s researchers.

He goes on, “You could say it cured them, but we will have to go back and look at their brains to be sure.”

As part of the research,  the group also found that treating certain harmful cells associated with Alzheimer’s with cannabidiol reduced the amount of the harmful protein that they produced.”

http://thejointblog.com/new-study-shows-cannabis-may-reverse-symptoms-of-dementia/

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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cannabis 

“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/