A new face of endocannabinoids in pharmacotherapy. Part I & II

Posted on May 5, 2014 by David

“A new face of endocannabinoids in pharmacotherapy. Part I: Protective role of endocannabinoids in hypertension and myocardial infarction.

Cannabinoids are compounds which were first isolated from the Cannabis sativa plant. For thousands of years they have been used for treatment of numerous diseases.

Currently, synthetic cannabinoids and endocannabinoids are also known. Cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids and the enzymes that catalyze their synthesis and degradation constitute the endocannabinoid system which plays an important role in functioning of the cardiovascular system.

The results obtained to date suggest the involvement of endocannabinoids in the pathology of many cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction, hypertension and hypotension associated with hemorrhagic, endotoxic, and cardiogenic shock. Cardioprotective effect and dilation of coronary vessels induced by endocannabinoids deserve special attention.

It cannot be excluded now that in the future our better understanding of cannabinoid system will allow to develop new strategies for treatment of cardiovascular diseases.”

http://www.jpp.krakow.pl/journal/archive/04_14/pdf/171_04_14_article.pdf

“A new face of endocannabinoids in pharmacotherapy. Part II. Role of endocannabinoids in inflammation-derived cardiovaascular diseases.

Endocannabinoids play an important role in cardiovascular diseases caused by inflammatory disorders. Endocannabinoids are endogenous bioactive lipids that activate cannabinoid receptors and together with enzymes responsible for their synthesis and degradation constitute endocannabinoid system.

The results obtained to date suggest the involvement of endocannabinoids in the pathology of many cardiovascular diseases associated with inflammation, such as atherosclerosis, restenosis, chemotherapy-induced myocardial injury, diabetic and hepatic cirrhosis cardiomyopathy.

Our better understanding of cannabinoid system may result in the development of new strategies for the treatment of such disorders.”

http://www.jpp.krakow.pl/journal/archive/04_14/pdf/183_04_14_article.pdf

[Tetrahydrocannabinol for treatment of chronic pain].

Posted on May 4, 2014 by David

“Even in the last century cannabis was used in the treatment of chronic pain. The main active component of cannabis Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been increasingly used in the treatment of nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and depression. It is also recommended in the treatment of chronic pain. We present our first experiences with THC in the treatment of patients with chronic pain.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11810357

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/chronic-pain/

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/pain-2/

No Relief Yet for Brutal Oral Cancer Pain, but Cannabinoids May Offer Some Hope

Posted on May 4, 2014 by David

“Many cancer patients endure severe pain and, by far, one of the most excruciating pain conditions is caused by oral cancer, for which even the strongest available pain medications are largely ineffective. One of the nation’s leading oral cancer treating clinicians, speaking at the American Pain Society’s annual meeting, said he believes that while prospects for major treatment advances remain bleak, a new cannabinoid-based medication may have some promise for providing meaningful pain relief.” http://www.newswise.com/articles/no-relief-yet-for-brutal-oral-cancer-pain-but-cannabinoids-may-offer-some-hope

Marijuana Rated Most Effective for Treating Fibromyalgia

Posted on May 3, 2014 by David

marijuana graph

“Medical marijuana is far more effective at treating symptoms of fibromyalgia than any of the three prescription drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat the disorder.

That is one of the surprise findings in an online survey of over 1,300 fibromyalgia patients conducted by the National Pain Foundation and National Pain Report.”

Cymbalta graph

Lyrica graph

Savella graph .”

“The FDA has approved only three drugs – Cymbalta, Lyrica and Savella — for the treatment of fibromyalgia.”

http://americannewsreport.com/nationalpainreport/marijuana-rated-most-effective-for-treating-fibromyalgia-8823638.html

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/fibromyalgia/

Cannabis, pain, and sleep: lessons from therapeutic clinical trials of Sativex, a cannabis-based medicine.

Posted on May 2, 2014 by David

“Cannabis sativa L. has been utilized for treatment of pain and sleep disorders since ancient times.

This review examines modern studies on effects of Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) on sleep. It goes on to report new information on the effects on sleep in the context of medical treatment of neuropathic pain and symptoms of multiple sclerosis, employing standardized oromucosal cannabis-based medicines containing primarily THC, CBD, or a 1 : 1 combination of the two (Sativex).

Sleep-laboratory results indicate a mild activating effect of CBD, and slight residual sedation with THC-predominant extracts. Experience to date with Sativex in numerous Phase I-III studies in 2000 subjects with 1000 patient years of exposure demonstrate marked improvement in subjective sleep parameters in patients with a wide variety of pain conditions including multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathic pain, intractable cancer pain, and rheumatoid arthritis, with an acceptable adverse event profile.

No tolerance to the benefit of Sativex on pain or sleep, nor need for dosage increases have been noted in safety extension studies of up to four years, wherein 40-50% of subjects attained good or very good sleep quality, a key source of disability in chronic pain syndromes that may contribute to patients’ quality of life.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17712817

Miracle Drug: Medical Marijuana Cures Child of Terminal Epilepsy

Posted on May 1, 2014 by David

Mia Wilkinson

“Only until recently has medical marijuana received its deserved accolades by the mainstream media as a miracle drug; however, many in the medical industry are still leaving pot on the back-burner….until NOW.

A Canadian mother named Sarah Wilkinson has tangible claims about how cannabis has saved her disabled and once terminally ill daughter’s life.”

During an interview with the Toronto Sun, Wilkinson said “I assumed people who wanted it just wanted to get high” prior to her daughter’s marijuana use. However, once administering marijuana to her daughter with no other options from the pharmaceutical industry, Mia’s seizures went from 100 a day to 8 at most, changing her stance about the drug overnight. Results upon using the herb were immediate. Mia’s seizures ended within 24 hours of using the herb and now the Wilkinson’s don’t hesitate to call the drug a miracle.”

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/05/prweb11808330.htm

“Medical marijuana gives epileptic child new lease on life” http://www.torontosun.com/2014/04/26/medical-marijuana-gives-epileptic-child-new-lease-on-life