Monthly Archives: March 2018

The Use of Cannabinoids in Colitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

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“Clinical trials investigating the use of cannabinoid drugs for the treatment of intestinal inflammation are anticipated secondary to preclinical literature demonstrating efficacy in reducing inflammation.

We systematically reviewed publications on the benefit of drugs targeting the endo-cannabinoid system in intestinal inflammation.

 

CONCLUSIONS:

There is abundant preclinical literature demonstrating the anti-inflammatory effects of cannabinoid drugs in inflammation of the gut.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29562280

https://academic.oup.com/ibdjournal/article-abstract/24/4/680/4944355?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Medical marijuana laws and adolescent marijuana use in the United States: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

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“Synthesis of the current evidence does not support the hypothesis that US medical marijuana laws (MMLs) until 2014 have led to increases in adolescent marijuana use prevalence. None of the 11 studies found significant estimates of pre–post MML changes compared with contemporaneous changes in non‐MML states for marijuana use prevalence among adolescents. In summary, current evidence does not support the hypothesis that MML passage is associated with increased marijuana use prevalence among adolescents in states that have passed such laws up until 2014.”  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.14136

“Medical Marijuana Hasn’t Affected Teen Pot Use: Meta-Analysis. Medical marijuana laws have had little impact on recreational pot use among U.S. teens, according to a meta-analysis of 11 studies dating back to 1991. The findings appear to debunk claims by opponents of medical marijuana that the laws have led to greater cannabis use among adolescents, wrote researcher Deborah Hasin, PhD, of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, New York City, and colleagues in the journal Addiction.”  https://www.medpagetoday.com/psychiatry/addictions/71342

Glial expression of cannabinoid CB(2) receptors and fatty acid amide hydrolase are beta amyloid-linked events in Down’s syndrome.

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Neuroscience

“Recent data suggest that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) may be involved in the glial response in different types of brain injury. Both acute and chronic insults seem to trigger a shift in the pattern of expression of some elements of this system from neuronal to glial. Specifically, data obtained in human brain tissue sections from Alzheimer’s disease patients showed that the expression of cannabinoid receptors of the CB(2) type is induced in activated microglial cells while fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) expression is increased in reactive astrocytes. The present study was designed to determine the time-course of the shift from neuronal to glial induction in the expression of these proteins in Down‘s syndrome, sometimes referred to as a human model of Alzheimer-like beta-amyloid (Abeta) deposition. Here we present immunohistochemical evidence that both CB(2) receptors and FAAH enzyme are induced in Abeta plaque-associated microglia and astroglia, respectively, in Down‘s syndrome. These results suggest that the induction of these elements of the ECS contributes to, or is a result of, amyloid deposition and subsequent plaque formation. In addition, they confirm a striking differential pattern of distribution of FAAH and CB(2) receptors.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18068305

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306452207012924

Marijuana use and mortality following orthopedic surgical procedures.

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“The association between marijuana use and surgical procedures is a matter of increasing societal relevance that has not been well studied in the literature.

The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between marijuana use and in-hospital mortality, as well as to assess associated comorbidities in patients undergoing commonly billed orthopedic surgeries.

METHODS:

The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2010 to 2014 was used to determine the odds ratios for the associations between marijuana use and in-hospital mortality, heart failure (HF), stroke, and cardiac disease (CD) in patients undergoing five common orthopedic procedures: hip (THA), knee (TKA), and shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), spinal fusion, and traumatic femur fracture fixation.

RESULTS:

Of 9,561,963 patients who underwent one of the five selected procedures in the four-year period, 26,416 (0.28%) were identified with a diagnosis of marijuana use disorder. In hip and knee arthroplasty patients, marijuana use was associated with decreased odds of mortality compared to no marijuana use (p<0.0001), and increased odds of HF (p = 0.018), stroke (p = 0.0068), and CD (p = 0.0123). Traumatic femur fixation patients had the highest prevalence of marijuana use (0.70%), which was associated with decreased odds of mortality (p = 0.0483), HF (p = 0.0076), and CD (p = 0.0003). For spinal fusions, marijuana use was associated with increased odds of stroke (p<0.0001) and CD (p<0.0001). Marijuana use in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty was associated with decreased odds of mortality (p<0.001) and stroke (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

In this study, marijuana use was associated with decreased mortality in patients undergoing THA, TKA, TSA and traumatic femur fixation, although the significance of these findings remains unclear. More research is needed to provide insight into these associations in a growing surgical population.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29558287

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08897077.2018.1449054?journalCode=wsub20

Anti-invasion Effects of Cannabinoids Agonist and Antagonist on Human Breast Cancer Stem Cells.

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“Studies show that cancer cell invasion or metastasis is the primary cause of death in malignancies including breast cancer.

The existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in breast cancer may account for tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis.

Recent studies have reported different effects of cannabinoids on cancer cells via CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors.

In the present study, the effects of ACEA (a selective CB1 receptor agonist) and AM251 (a selective CB1 antagonist) on CSCs and their parental cells were investigated.

It was observed that ACEA decreased CD44+/CD24-/low/ESA+ cancer stem cell invasiveness.

Since one of the main cancer recurrence factors is anti-cancer drugs fail to inhibit CSC population, this observation would be useful for cancer treatment.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29552056

“Our results indicate that cannabinoids may interfere with invasive cancer stem cells in benefit of cancer eradication. In summary, our results clarified that cannabinoid receptor agonist possesses anti-invasion potential in both main population and breast cancer stem cells. Considering that most anti-cancer drugs do not eradicate stem cells and only target main population cells, the results disclosed here can be used for prevention of cancer recurrence.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5843309/

The effect of nabilone on appetite, nutritional status, and quality of life in lung cancer patients: a randomized, double-blind clinical trial.

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Supportive Care in Cancer

“Over one half of the patients diagnosed with advanced lung cancer experience anorexia. In addition to its high incidence, cancer-induced anorexia promotes the development of the anorexia-cachexia syndrome, which is related to poor clinical outcomes.

Recently, drugs derived from cannabinoids, such as Nabilone, have been recognized for their appetite improvement properties.

METHODS:

This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess the effect of Nabilone vs. placebo on the appetite, nutritional status, and quality of life in patients diagnosed with advanced Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (NCT02802540).

CONCLUSION:

Nabilone is an adequate and safe therapeutic option to aid in the treatment of patients diagnosed with anorexia. Larger trials are necessary in order to draw robust conclusions in regard to its efficacy in lung cancer patients.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29550881

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00520-018-4154-9
“Nabilone is a synthetic cannabinoid with therapeutic use as an antiemetic and as an adjunct analgesic for neuropathic pain. It mimics tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound found naturally occurring in Cannabis.”  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabilone

Cannabinoid-induced increase of quantal size and enhanced neuromuscular transmission.

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Scientific Reports

“Cannabinoids exert dynamic control over many physiological processes including memory formation, cognition and pain perception. In the central nervous system endocannabinoids mediate negative feedback of quantal transmitter release following postsynaptic depolarization. The influence of cannabinoids in the peripheral nervous system is less clear and might have broad implications for the therapeutic application of cannabinoids. We report a novel cannabinoid effect upon the mouse neuromuscular synapse: acutely increasing synaptic vesicle volume and raising the quantal amplitudes. In a mouse model of myasthenia gravis the cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN 55,212 reversed fatiguing failure of neuromuscular transmission, suggesting future therapeutic potential. Our data suggest an endogenous pathway by which cannabinoids might help to regulate transmitter release at the neuromuscular junction.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29549349

“Here we reveal evidence of their involvement in regulating neuromuscular transmission, and a possible therapeutic potential for cannabinoid signaling in myasthenia gravis. Our results suggest that cannabinoids might play a role in sustaining neuromuscular transmission.”

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-22888-4

Pharmacological characterization of the cannabinoid receptor 2 agonist, β-caryophyllene on seizure models in mice.

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Seizure - European Journal of Epilepsy Home

“Activation of CB1 receptors, produces anticonvulsant effect accompanied by memory disturbance both in animal seizure tests and in patients with epilepsy.

Few reports considered the role of CB2 receptor on seizure susceptibility and cognitive functions. The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of a selective CB2 receptor agonist β-caryophyllene (BCP) in models of seizures and cognition in mice.

CONCLUSION:

Our results suggest that the CB2 receptor agonists might be clinically useful as an adjunct treatment against seizure spread and status epilepticus and concomitant oxidative stress, neurotoxicity and cognitive impairments.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29547827

http://www.seizure-journal.com/article/S1059-1311(17)30611-8/fulltext

“β-caryophyllene (BCP) is a common constitute of the essential oils of numerous spice, food plants and major component in Cannabis.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23138934

Reduced levels of the endocannabinoid arachidonylethanolamide (AEA) in hair in patients with borderline personality disorder – a pilot study.

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“Endocannabinoids are involved in depressive and anxious symptoms and might play a role in stress-associated psychiatric disorders.

While alterations in the endogenous cannabinoid system have been repeatedly found in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this system has been mostly neglected in borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, there is first evidence for elevated serum levels of the endocannabinoids arachidonylethanolamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonyl-sn-glycerol (2-AG) in BPD patients compared to healthy controls and PTSD patients.

In this study, hair endocannabinoids were analyzed, reflecting long-term endocannabinoid concentrations. We assessed AEA concentrations as well as 2-AG and the 2-AG main isomer 1-AG (1-AG/2-AG) in hair in women with BPD (n = 15) and age- and education-matched healthy women (n = 16).

We found significantly reduced log AEA in BPD patients compared to healthy women (p = .03) but no differences in log 1-AG/2-AG concentrations. In addition, there was no association between 1-AG/2-AG and hair cortisol, but we found a non-significant correlation between hair concentrations of AEA and cortisol (p = .06).

Our data indicate altered long-term release of endogenous cannabinoids in women with BPD depending on type of endocannabinoid. AEA has been suggested to modulate the basal activity of the endocannabinoid system and seems to attenuate depressive and anxious symptoms. Thus, chronically reduced AEA might contribute to psychiatric symptoms in BPD.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29546791

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10253890.2018.1451837?journalCode=ists20

Cannabinoid Receptors, Mental Pain and Suicidal Behavior: a Systematic Review.

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Current Psychiatry Reports

“The current serotonin-based biological model of suicidal behavior (SB) may be too simplistic. There is emerging evidence that other biomarkers and biological systems may be involved in SB pathophysiology. The literature on the endocannabinoid (EC) systems and SB is limited. The objective of the present article is to review all available information on the relationship between cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2 receptors), and SB and/or psychological pain.

RECENT FINDINGS:

Our review is limited by the small number and heterogeneity of studies identified: (1) an autopsy study describing elevated levels of CB1 receptor activity in the prefrontal cortex and suicide in both depression and alcoholism and (2) studies supporting the involvement of both CB1 and CB2 receptors in the regulation of neuropathic pain and stress-induced analgesia. We conclude that cannabinoid receptors, particularly CB1 receptors, may become promising targets for the development of novel therapeutic tools for the treatment of SB.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29546501

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11920-018-0880-4