Category Archives: Uncategorized

Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Medical Cannabis

Posted on by
Reply
pubmed logo

“Introduction: Medical cannabis has been used to relieve the symptoms of people with various chronic diseases. Despite of this, it has been stigmatized, even after its legalization in many countries.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of life of patients receiving medical cannabis.

Material and method: One hundred patients receiving medical cannabis were given (a) a socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire, and (b) the SF-36 Health Survey scale for assessing quality of life.

Results: The majority of our patients who received medical cannabis to treat their neurological disorders (58%) reported decrease in their symptoms (96%), better energy and vitality (68%), ability to perform their professional duties (88%), and an improvement in sleeping and appetite (79% and 71%, respectively) after receiving medical cannabis. Our participants exhibited very few restrictions in activities due to emotional difficulties, a moderate general health status as well as moderate vitality and energy. Participants, who reported a longer period of receiving medical cannabis, reported statistically significant more energy and vitality (p = 0.000), but also better mental (p = 0.000) and general health status (p = 0.001). Furthermore, the majority of patients have disclosed medical cannabis use to their family members (85%) and enjoyed their support (93%), but they haven’t revealed their medication treatment to their social environment (81%).

Conclusions: Appropriate knowledge could significantly help health professionals in the field of planning and implementation of personalized nursing care in order to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37581814/

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-31986-0_39

An answered call for aid? Cannabinoid clinical framework for the opioid epidemic

Posted on by
Reply
pubmed logo

“Background: The opioid crisis continues in full force, as physicians and caregivers are desperate for resources to help patients with opioid use and chronic pain disorders find safer and more accessible non-opioid tools.

Main body: The purpose of this article is to review the current state of the opioid epidemic; the shifting picture of cannabinoids; and the research, policy, and current events that make opioid risk reduction an urgent public health challenge. The provided table contains an evidence-based clinical framework for the utilization of cannabinoids to treat patients with chronic pain who are dependent on opioids, seeking alternatives to opioids, and tapering opioids.

Conclusion: Based on a comprehensive review of the literature and epidemiological evidence to date, cannabinoids stand to be one of the most interesting, safe, and accessible tools available to attenuate the devastation resulting from the misuse and abuse of opioid narcotics. Considering the urgency of the opioid epidemic and broadening of cannabinoid accessibility amidst absent prescribing guidelines, the authors recommend use of this clinical framework in the contexts of both clinical research continuity and patient care.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37587466/

“Resistance to cannabis-based medicines for the opioid epidemic may have many origins, particularly the stigma associated with recreational cannabis use. That said, the evidence to date suggests that it is time for a sea change in the clinical approach to cannabis for pain management and OUD. Throughout the history of science and clinical medicine, there have been transformative changes that were initially considered heretical: hand hygiene as a means to prevent infection prior to germ theory, therapy for H. pylori to combat peptic ulcer disease, and even the genetic basis of cancer were all dismissed by their era’s established medical communities. Similarly, we face great resistance to the implementation of CBD and other cannabinoids for treatment-resistant chronic illnesses, despite the compelling evidence, strong overall safety profile, and urgent need. Many of our patients have already begun their own self-guided journey into pain management with cannabinoids and the burden is now on providers to consolidate the information available, conduct more rigorous research, form best practices, and implement guidelines that will inform both the field and those we care for without stigma.”

https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-023-00842-6

Cannabidiol and cannabigerol, non-psychotropic cannabinoids, as analgesics that effectively manage bone fracture pain and promote healing in mice

Posted on by
Reply
pubmed logo

“Bone fractures are among the most prevalent musculoskeletal injuries, and pain management is an essential part of fracture treatment. Fractures heal through an early inflammatory phase, followed by repair and remodelling. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are not recommended for fracture pain control as they potently inhibit the inflammatory phase and, thus, impair the healing. Opioids do not provide a better alternative for several reasons, including abuse potential. Accordingly, there is an unmet clinical need for analgesics that effectively ameliorate post-fracture pain without impeding the healing. Here, we investigated the analgesic efficacy of two non-psychotropic cannabinoids, cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG), in a mouse model for tibial fracture. Mice with fractured tibiae exhibited increased sensitivity to mechanical, cold, and hot stimuli. Both CBD and CBG normalized pain sensitivity to all tested stimuli, and their analgesic effects were comparable to those of the NSAIDs. Interestingly, CBD and CBG promoted bone healing via multiple mechanisms during the early and late phases. During the early inflammatory phase, both cannabinoids increased the abundance of periosteal bone progenitors in the healing hematoma and promoted the osteogenic commitment of these progenitors. During the later phases of healing, CBD and CBG accelerated the fibrocartilaginous callus mineralization and enhanced the viability and proliferation of bone and bone-marrow cells. These effects culminated in higher bone volume fraction, higher bone mineral density, and improved mechanical quality of the newly formed bone. Together, our data suggest CBD and CBG as therapeutic agents that can replace NSAIDs in managing post-fracture pain as both cannabinoids exert potent analgesic effects and, at the same time, promote bone healing.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37597163/

https://asbmr.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jbmr.4902

Medical cannabis laws lower individual market health insurance premiums

Posted on by
Reply
pubmed logo

“Background: To evaluate the impact of medical cannabis laws (MCLs) on health insurance premiums. We study whether cannabis legalization significantly impacts aggregate health insurer premiums in the individual market. Increases in utilization could have spillover effects to patients in the form of higher health insurance premiums.

Methods: We use 2010-2021 state-level U.S. private health insurer financial data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. We examined changes to individual market health insurance premiums after the implementation of medical cannabis laws. We employed a robust difference-in-differences estimator that accounted for variation in policy timing to exploit temporal and geographic variation in state-level medical cannabis legalization.

Results: Seven years after the implementation of Medical Cannabis laws, we observe lower health insurer premiums in the individual market. Starting seven years post-MCL implementation, we find a reduction of $-1662.7 (95% confidence interval [CI -2650.1, -605.7]) for states which implemented MCLs compared to the control group, a reduction of -$1541.8 (95% confidence interval [CI 2602.1, -481.4]) in year 8, and a reduction of $-1625.8, (95% confidence interval [CI -2694.2, -557.5]) in year 9. Due to the nature of insurance pooling and community rating, these savings are appreciated by cannabis users and non-users alike in states that have implemented MCLs.

Conclusions: The implementation of MCLs lowers individual-market health insurance premiums. Health insurance spending, including premiums, comprises between 16% and 34% of household budgets in the United States. As healthcare costs continue to rise, our findings suggest that households that obtain their health insurance on the individual (i.e., not employer sponsored) market in states with MCLs appreciate significantly lower premiums.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37572391/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0955395923001901?via%3Dihub

Cannabis use for exercise recovery in trained individuals: a survey study

Posted on by
Reply
pubmed logo

“Background: Cannabis use, be it either cannabidiol (CBD) use and/or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) use, shows promise to enhance exercise recovery. The present study aimed to determine if individuals are using CBD and/or THC as a means of recovery from aerobic and/or resistance exercise, as well as additional modalities that might be used to aid in recovery.

Methods: Following consent, 111 participants (Mean ± SD: Age: 31 ± 13 years) completed an anonymous survey. All participants were regularly using cannabis (CBD and/or THC) as well as were currently exercising. Questions pertained to level of cannabis use, methods used for consumption of cannabis, exercise habits, exercise recovery strategies, and demographics.

Results: Eighty-five percent of participants reported participating in aerobic training. In addition, 85% of participants also reported regular participation in resistance exercise. Seventy-two percent of participants participated in both aerobic and resistance exercise. Ninety-three percent of participants felt that CBD use assisted them with recovery from exercise, while 87% of participants felt the same regarding THC use.

Conclusions: Individuals who habitually use cannabis, CBD or THC, and regularly engage in exercise do feel that cannabis assists them with exercise recovery. More data are necessary to understand the role of cannabis in exercise recovery as well as perceived ergogenic benefits of cannabis by individuals who both regularly participate in exercise and habitually use cannabis.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37542349/

“CBD or THC use have been suggested to play a role in pain management, inflammation, and sleep, which are hallmarks for recovery from exercise. While data are lacking, it is clear that individuals are using cannabis and believe cannabis to have a positive effect on recovery from exercise. The present study demonstrated that in addition to more traditional recovery methods, cannabis is used as an ergogenic recovery aid by individuals that exercise regularly.”

https://jcannabisresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42238-023-00198-5

Cannabidiol-Loaded Nanoparticles Based on Crosslinked Starch: Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Improved Nose-to-Brain Delivery

Posted on by
Reply
pubmed logo

“Cannabidiol (CBD) has previously been shown to inhibit inflammatory cytokine production in both in vitro and in vivo studies of neurodegenerative diseases. To date, the CBD treatment of these diseases by quantitative targeting directly to the brain is one of the greatest challenges. In this paper, we present a new particulate system capable of delivering CBD into the brain via the intranasal route. Intranasal administration of CBD-loaded starch nanoparticles resulted in higher levels of cannabidiol in the brain compared to an identically administered cannabidiol solution. The production and the characterization of starch-based nanoparticles was reported, as well as the evaluation of their penetration and anti-inflammatory activity in cells. Cannabidiol-loaded starch nanoparticles were prepared by crosslinking with divanillin, using the nanoprecipitation method. Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity in vitro was performed using the BV2 microglia cell line. The starch nanoparticles appeared under electron microscopy in clusters sized approximately 200 nm in diameter. In cultures of lipopolysaccharide-induced inflamed BV2 cells, the cannabidiol-loaded starch nanoparticles demonstrated low toxicity while effectively reducing nitric oxide production and IL-6 levels. The anti-inflammatory effect was comparable to that of a glucocorticoid. Starch-based nanoparticle formulations combined with intranasal administration may provide a suitable platform for efficacious cannabidiol delivery and activity in the central nervous system.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37513990/

https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/15/7/1803

Therapeutic Potential and Predictive Pharmaceutical Modeling of Stilbenes in Cannabis sativa

Posted on by
Reply
pubmed logo

“Cannabis sativa is a plant used for recreational and therapeutic purposes; however, many of the secondary metabolites in the plant have not been thoroughly investigated. Stilbenes are a class of compounds with demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and are present in cannabis. Many stilbenes present in cannabis have been investigated for their therapeutic effects. Fourteen stilbenes have been identified to be present in cannabis, all of which are structurally dihydrostilbenoids, with half possessing a prenylated moiety. The stilbenes summarized in this analysis show varying degrees of therapeutic benefits ranging from anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anti-cancer to antioxidant effects. Many of the identified stilbenes have been researched to a limited extent for potential health benefits. In addition, predictive in silico modeling was performed on the fourteen identified cannabis-derived stilbenes. This modeling provides prospective activity, pharmacokinetic, metabolism, and permeability data, setting the groundwork for further investigation into these poorly characterized compounds.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37514127/

“In conclusion, fourteen bibenzyl stilbenes have been identified in Cannabis sativa so far, though with the number of compounds identified in the plant ever increasing, more are likely to be characterized over time. The fourteen stilbenes have various degrees of investigational research into their therapeutic potential, with some members, such as dihydroresveratrol and gigantol, being very well characterized due to their presence in other plant sources, while others have just recently been discovered. These compounds show promise as therapeutic agents that could be developed into novel medications for a variety of conditions with further research and development.”

https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/15/7/1941

Canada’s cannabis legalization and adult crime patterns, 2015-2021: A time series study

Posted on by
Reply
pubmed logo

“Background and aim: A central goal of the Cannabis Act (October 17, 2018) – Canada’s national cannabis legalization framework – aimed to reduce cannabis-related criminalization and consequent impact on the Canadian criminal justice system. We assessed whether Canada’s cannabis legalization was associated with changes in adult police-reported cannabis-related, property, or violent criminal incidents.

Design: Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) time series models evaluated relations between legalization and adult cannabis-related, property, and violent crimes, using criminal incident data from the Canadian Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (UCR-2; January 1, 2015-December 31, 2021).

Primary sample: National police-reported adult cannabis-related offenses (n = 247,249), property crimes (n = 2,299,777), and violent crimes (n = 1,903,762).

Findings: Implementation of the Cannabis Act was associated with decreases in adult police-reported cannabis-related offenses: females, -13.2 daily incidents (95% CI, -16.4; -10.1; p < 0.001) – a reduction of 73.9% [standard error (se), 30.6%]; males, -69.4 daily offenses (95% CI, -81.5; -57.2; p < 0.001) – a drop of 83.2% (se, 21.2%). Legalization was not associated with significant changes in the adult property-crime or violent-crime series.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that Canada’s cannabis legalization was successful in reducing cannabis-related criminalization among adults. There was also a lack of evidence for spillover effects of cannabis legalization on adult property or violent crimes.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37515896/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460323002083?via%3Dihub

Determining Antioxidant Activity of Cannabis Leaves Extracts from Different Varieties-Unveiling Nature’s Treasure Trove

Posted on by
Reply
pubmed logo

“Cannabis leaves contain a diverse range of antioxidants, including cannabinoids, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, which offer significant health benefits. Utilising cannabis leaves as a source of antioxidants presents a cost-effective approach because they are typically discarded during the cultivation of cannabis plants for their seeds or fibres. Therefore, this presented study aimed to assess the antioxidant activity of the leaves of selected hemp cultivars, such as Białobrzeska, Tygra, and Henola, based on the results obtained with the 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid, ferric reducing antioxidant power, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity, and 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assays. The cannabinoid profile was analysed for the antioxidant activity to the contents of cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), and cannabichromene (CBC), determined based on chromatographic assays. The following variables were tested: the impact of various extractants (methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol), and their mixtures (50:50, v/v, as well as extraction methods (maceration and ultra-sound-assisted extraction) significant in obtaining hemp extracts characterised by different cannabinoid profiles. The results revealed that the selection of extractant and extraction conditions significantly influenced the active compounds’ extraction efficiency and antioxidant activity. Among the tested conditions, ultrasound-assisted extraction using methanol yielded the highest cannabinoid profile: CBD = 184.51 ± 5.61; CBG = 6.10 ± 0.21; Δ9-THC = 0.51 ± 0.01; and CBC = 0.71 ± 0.01 μg/g antioxidant potential in Białobrzeska leaf extracts.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37507928/

“Cannabis leaves are known to contain a wide range of antioxidants, and this also includes cannabinoids, which have been shown to have significant health benefits. Using cannabis leaves as an antioxidant source can be a cost-effective option as they are often discarded during the cultivation of cannabis plants for their seeds or fibres. Moreover, the use of cannabis leaves as a source of antioxidants may also have environmental benefits as it can reduce waste and promote sustainable agriculture practices. This current study illuminates that not only the flowers and seeds of cannabis possess potential health benefits, but also the leaves; moreover, a comprehensive understanding is fostered regarding the diverse therapeutic potential inherent in this plant. “

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/12/7/1390

Active peptides with hypoglycemic effect obtained from hemp (Cannabis sativa L) protein through identification, molecular docking, and virtual screening

Posted on by
Reply
pubmed logo

“Hemp (Cannabis sativa L) seeds are rich in proteins of high nutritional value, which makes the study of beneficial properties of hemp seed proteins and peptides, such as hypotensive and hypoglycemic effects, increasingly attractive. The present results confirm the good processability and stability of the hemp protein hydrolysate obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of non-dehulled hemp seed meal (NDHM). Six peptides with potential hypoglycemic activity were obtained by ethanol-graded precipitation, Nano LC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS mass spectrometry, and computerized virtual screening. Further, validation experiments for in vitro synthesis showed that TGLGR, SPVI, FY, and FR exhibited good α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, respectively. Animal experiments showed that the hemp protein peptides modulated blood glucose and blood lipids in hyperglycemic rats. These results indicate that hemp protein peptides can reduce blood glucose levels in hyperglycemic rats, suggesting that hemp proteins may be a promising natural source for the prevention and treatment of hyperglycemia.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37480780/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814623015303?via%3Dihub