Cannabinoid-mediated modulation of neuropathic pain and microglial accumulation in a model of murine type I diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain.

Posted on May 10, 2015 by David

“Despite the frequency of diabetes mellitus and its relationship to diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and neuropathic pain (NeP), our understanding of underlying mechanisms leading to chronic pain in diabetes remains poor.

Recent evidence has demonstated a prominent role of microglial cells in neuropathic pain states.

One potential therapeutic option gaining clinical acceptance is the cannabinoids, for which cannabinoidreceptors (CB) are expressed on neurons and microglia. We studied the accumulation and activation of spinal and thalamic microglia in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic CD1 mice and the impact of cannabinoid receptor agonism/antagonism during the development of a chronic NeP state.

The prevention of microglial accumulation and activation in the dorsal spinal cord was associated with limited development of a neuropathic pain state.

Cannabinoids demonstrated antinociceptive effects in this mouse model of DPN.

These results suggest that such interventions may also benefit humans with DPN, and their early introduction may also modify the development of the NeP state.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20236533

“Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a component in marijuana, acts at both CB1 and CB2 receptors, but other forms of cannabinoids such as cannabinol and cannabidiol act predominantly at CB2 receptors. Such CB2 agonists may be potential anti-inflammatory therapies, antagonizing the 2-AG-induced recruitment of microglia and impacting upon development of an inflammatory state. Such properties may permit the cannabinoids to act in the prevention of microglial activation, perhaps limiting the development of neuropathic pain.

The present data confirm the efficacy of cannabinoid agonists, both for the CB1 and CB2 receptor, in modulation of acute thermal and tactile hypersensitivity as features of neuropathic pain. Furthermore, CB1 agonism from the onset of the offending stimulus (diabetes) normally leading to neuropathic pain ameliorated the development of a neuropathic pain state.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2845559/

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

The effect of endocannabinoid system in ischemia-reperfusion injury: a friend or a foe?

Posted on May 6, 2015 by David

“In recent years, the endocannabinoid system has emerged as a new therapeutic target in variety of disorders associated with inflammation and tissue injury, including those of the neuronal, liver, renal and cardiovascular system.

The aim of the present review is to elucidate the effect of endocannabinoid system on ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) in different organs and systems.

Expert opinion: CB2 receptors may play an important compensatory role in controlling tissue inflammation and injury in cells of the neuronal, cardiovascular, liver and renal systems, as well as in infiltrating monocytes/macrophages and leukocytes during various pathological conditions of the systems (atherosclerosis, restenosis, stroke, myocardial infarction, heart, liver and renal failure).

These receptors limit inflammation and associated tissue injury.

On the basis of preclinical results, pharmacological modulation of CB2 receptors may hold a unique therapeutic potential in stroke, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, IRI and liver disease.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25936364

New quinolone- and 1,8-naphthyridine-3-carboxamides as selective CB2 receptor agonists with anticancer and immuno-modulatory activity.

Posted on May 6, 2015 by David

“Several recent studies suggest that selective CB2 receptor agonists may represent a valid pharmacological approach in the treatment of various diseases due to the absence of relevant psychoactive side effect…

Two compounds showing the best binding and selectivity profile behaved as a full agonist and a partial agonist at the CB2 receptor and induced a concentration-dependent decrease of cell viability on LNCaP, a prostatic cancer cell line expressing CB2 receptor.

Moreover considering that the CB2 receptor is mainly expressed in cells and organs of the immune system, the same compounds were studied for their potential immune-modulatory and anti-inflammatory effects in activated lymphocytes isolated from healthy controls and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25935384

Critical Role of Mast Cells and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ in the Induction of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells by Marijuana Cannabidiol In Vivo.

Posted on April 29, 2015 by David

“Cannabidiol (CBD) is a natural nonpsychotropic cannabinoid from marijuana (Cannabis sativa) with anti-epileptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Effect of CBD on naive immune system is not precisely understood. In this study, we observed that administering CBD into naive mice triggers robust induction of CD11b+Gr-1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) in the peritoneum, which expressed functional arginase 1, and potently suppressed T cell proliferation ex vivo…

Together, the results suggest that CBD may induce activation of PPAR-γ in mast cells leading to secretion of G-CSF and consequent MDSC mobilization.

CBD being a major component of Cannabis, our study indicates that marijuana may modulate or dysregulate the immune system by mobilizing MDSC.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25917103

The monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor JZL184 decreases inflammatory response in skeletal muscle contusion in rats.

Posted on April 29, 2015 by David

“Muscle wound healing process is a typical inflammation-evoked event. The monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) inhibitor (4-nitrophenyl)4-[bis(1,3-benzodioxol -5-yl)-hydroxymethyl]piperidine-1-carboxylate (JZL184) has been previously reported to reduce inflammation in colitis and acute lung injury in mice, which provide a new strategy for primary care of skeletal muscle injury.

Our findings demonstrate that JZL184 is able to inhibit the inflammatory response and interfere with contused muscle healing, in which the anti-inflammatory action may be mediated through cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25912803

Cannabis has been shown to kill cancer cells

Posted on April 29, 2015 by David

“The use of Cannabis for medicinal purposes dates back to ancient times.” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/patient/page1

“Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years.” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/healthprofessional/page1

“The use of Cannabis for medicinal purposes dates back at least 3,000 years. It came into use in Western medicine in the 19th century and was said to relieve pain, inflammation, spasms, and convulsions.” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/patient/page2

“Cannabis has been shown to kill cancer cells in the laboratory” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/patient/page1

“…cannabinoids may be able to kill cancer cells while protecting normal cells…

A laboratory study of delta-9-THC… showed that it damaged or killed the cancer cells…

A laboratory study of cannabidiol… showed that it caused cancer cell death…” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/patient/page2

“Cannabinoids appear to kill tumor cells but do not effect their nontransformed counterparts and may even protect them from cell death.” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/healthprofessional/page4

“Because cannabinoid receptors, unlike opioid receptors, are not located in the brainstem areas controlling respiration, lethal overdoses from Cannabis and cannabinoids do not occur.” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/healthprofessional/page6

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

The endocannabinoid system and plant-derived cannabinoids in diabetes and diabetic complications.

Posted on April 23, 2015 by David

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“Oxidative stress and inflammation play critical roles in the development of diabetes and its complications.

Recent studies provided compelling evidence that the newly discovered lipid signaling system (ie, the endocannabinoid system) may significantly influence reactive oxygen species production, inflammation, and subsequent tissue injury, in addition to its well-known metabolic effects and functions.

The modulation of the activity of this system holds tremendous therapeutic potential in a wide range of diseases, ranging from cancer, pain, neurodegenerative, and cardiovascular diseases to obesity and metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and diabetic complications.

This review focuses on the role of the endocannabinoid system in primary diabetes and its effects on various diabetic complications, such as diabetic cardiovascular dysfunction, nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy, particularly highlighting the mechanisms beyond the metabolic consequences of the activation of the endocannabinoid system.

The therapeutic potential of targeting the endocannabinoid system and certain plant-derived cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarin, which are devoid of psychotropic effects and possess potent anti-inflammatory and/or antioxidant properties, in diabetes and diabetic complications is also discussed.

Although there is much controversy in the field of EC research, experimental evidence and clinical trials have clearly shown that ECS plays a key role in the development of primary diabetes and various diabetic complications. Although inhibition of CB1 receptors has proven to be effective in clinical trials of obesity and metabolic syndrome, this approach has ultimately failed because of increasing patient anxiety. However, recent preclinical studies clearly showed that peripherally restricted CB1 antagonists may represent a viable therapeutic strategy to avoid the previously mentioned adverse effects.

Importantly, CB1 inhibition, as discussed in this review, may also directly attenuate inflammatory responses and ROS and reactive nitrogen species generation in endothelial, immune, and other cell types, as well as in target tissues of diabetic complications, far beyond its known beneficial metabolic consequences. The main effects of CB1 receptor activation on the development of diabetes and diabetic complications are summarized in Figure 1. CB2 agonists may exert beneficial effects on diabetes and diabetic complications by attenuating inflammatory response and ensuing oxidative stress (Figure 2).

Natural cannabinoids, such as CBD and THCV, also have tremendous therapeutic potential.

CBD is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent that does not appear to exert its beneficial effects through conventional CB receptors and is already approved for human use.

THCV and its derivatives, which may combine the beneficial effects of simultaneous CB1 inhibition and CB2 stimulation, are still under intense preclinical investigation. It will be interesting to see how newly developed, peripherally restricted CB1 receptor antagonists and/or CB2 receptor agonists and certain natural cannabinoids, such as CBD and THCV, will influence the clinical outcomes of diabetic patients.

We hope that some of these new approaches will be useful in clinical practice in the near future to aid patients with diabetes.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3349875/

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

Intrathecal Injection of JWH-015 Attenuates Bone Cancer Pain Via Time-Dependent Modification of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines Expression and Astrocytes Activity in Spinal Cord.

Posted on April 22, 2015 by David

“Cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) agonists display potential analgesic effects in acute and neuropathic pain.

Overall, our results provided evidences for the persistent participation of inflammation reaction in the progression of bone cancer pain, and demonstrated that JWH-015 reduced the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α and inhibited astrocytes activation in a time-dependent manner, thereby displaying an analgesic effect.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25896633

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/bone-cancer-2/

Differential upregulation of the cannabinoid CB2 receptor in neurotoxic and inflammation-driven rat models of Parkinson’s disease.

Posted on April 22, 2015 by David

“The cannabinoid CB2 receptor has recently emerged as a potential anti-inflammatory target to break the self-sustaining cycle of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration that is associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

…the aim of this study was to investigate and compare the changes that occur in the endocannabinoid system in neurotoxic and inflammation-driven models of Parkinson’s disease.

…this study has shown that the endocannabinoid system is dysregulated in animal models of Parkinson’s disease, and has also revealed significant differences in the level of dysregulation between the models themselves.

This study indicates that targeting the CB2 receptor may represent a viable target for anti-inflammatory disease modification in Parkinson’s disease.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25895887

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/parkinsons-disease/

Cannabinoids Inhibit T-cells via Cannabinoid Receptor 2 in an in vitro Assay for Graft Rejection, the Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction

Posted on April 19, 2015 by David

“Cannabinoids are known to have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties.

Cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) is expressed mainly on leukocytes and is the receptor implicated in mediating many of the effects of cannabinoids on immune processes.

This study tested the capacity of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and of two CB2-selective agonists to inhibit the murine Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction (MLR), an in vitro correlate of graft rejection following skin and organ transplantation. Both CB2-selective agonists and Δ9-THC significantly suppressed the MLR in a dose dependent fashion…

Together, these data support the potential of this class of compounds as useful therapies to prolong graft survival in transplant patients.

Cannabinoids were reported to have effects on immune responses as early as the 1970s, but the basis for this activity was not understood until the cannabinoid receptors were cloned

Ideally, the anatomically disparate expression of CB1 and CB2 would allow for the use of compounds selective for CB2, and thus eliminate the unwanted psychoactive effects from CB1 activation, while maintaining the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties.

CB2-selective cannabinoids have been proposed as possible candidates to block graft rejection.

The results presented in this paper show that Δ9-THC, a mixed CB1/CB2 agonist, and two CB2-selective agonists can inhibit the Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction (MLR), an in vitro correlate of organ and skin graft rejection.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3864984/