Anti Proliferative and Pro Apoptotic Effects of Flavonoid Quercetin Are Mediated by CB1 Receptor in Human Colon Cancer Cell Lines.

Posted on January 5, 2016 by David

“Quercetin, the major constituent of flavonoid and widely present in fruits and vegetables, is an attractive compound for cancer prevention due to its beneficial anti proliferative effects, showing a crucial role in the regulation of apoptosis and cell cycle signaling.

In vitro studies have demonstrated that quercetin specifically influences colon cancer cell proliferation.

Our experiments, using human colon adenocarcinoma cells, confirmed the anti proliferative effect of quercetin and gave intriguing new insight in to the knowledge of the mechanisms involved…

These findings open new perspectives for anticancer therapeutic strategies.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25893829

“Flavonoid glycosides and cannabinoids from the pollen of Cannabis sativa L.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15688956

Cannabis to lower blood pressure!

Posted on December 28, 2015 by David

“A new method for lowering blood pressure (hypertension) through use of a compound that synthesizes a cannabis (hashish) plant component has been developed by a pharmacology Ph.D. student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem School of Pharmacy.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for about one-third of all deaths in industrialized countries, and is the leading reason for visits there to physicians as well as for drug prescriptions. However, not all patients respond well to the drugs available. There is no “ideal’ hypotensive (blood pressure lowering) drug.

The cannabis plant – also known as hashish or marijuana – through its chemical compounds — cannabinoids — has been shown to have a beneficial, hypotensive effect.”

http://www.news-medical.net/news/2006/06/19/18517.aspx

Report shows relationship between sensation seeking, reward sensitivity and cannabis use

“Lowering Of Blood Pressure Achieved Through Use Of Hashish-like Drug” http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060620083025.htm

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/

Beneficial effects of a Cannabis sativa extract treatment on diabetes-induced neuropathy and oxidative stress.

Posted on December 20, 2015 by David

“Neuropathy is the most common complication of diabetes and it is still considered to be relatively refractory to most of the analgesics. The aim of the present study was to explore the antinociceptive effect of a controlled cannabis extract (eCBD) in attenuating diabetic neuropathic pain.

These findings highlighted the beneficial effects of cannabis extract treatment in attenuating diabetic neuropathic pain, possibly through a strong antioxidant activity and a specific action upon nerve growth factor.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19441010

Targeting the endocannabinoid system to treat anxiety-related disorders.

Posted on October 2, 2015 by David

“The endocannabinoid system plays an important role in the control of emotions, and its dysregulation has been implicated in several psychiatric disorders.

The most common self-reported reason for using cannabis is rooted in its ability to reduce feelings of stress, tension, and anxiety.

Nevertheless, there are only few studies in controlled clinical settings that confirm that administration of cannabinoids can benefit patients with a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

There are considerable encouraging preclinical data to suggest that endocannabinoid-targeted therapeutics for anxiety disorders should continue.

In this review, we will describe data supporting a role for the endocannabinoid system in preventing and treating anxiety-like behavior in animal models and PTSD patients.

Cannabinoids have shown beneficial outcomes in rat and mouse models of anxiety and PTSD, but they also may have untoward effects that discourage their chronic usage, including anxiogenic effects.

Hence, clinical and preclinical research on the endocannabinoid system should further study the effects of cannabinoids on anxiety and help determine whether the benefits of using exogenous cannabinoids outweigh the risks.

In general, this review suggests that targeting the endocannabinoid system represents an attractive and novel approach to the treatment of anxiety-related disorders and, in particular, PTSD.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26426887

The Endocannabinoid System: Pivotal Orchestrator of Obesity and Metabolic Disease.

Posted on September 29, 2015 by David

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“The endocannabinoid system (ECS) functions to adjust behavior and metabolism according to environmental changes in food availability.

Its actions range from the regulation of sensory responses to the development of preference for the consumption of calorically-rich food and control of its metabolic handling.

ECS activity is beneficial when access to food is scarce or unpredictable.

However, when food is plentiful, the ECS favors obesity and metabolic disease.

We review recent advances in understanding the roles of the ECS in energy balance, and discuss newly identified mechanisms of action that, after the withdrawal of first generation cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor antagonists for the treatment of obesity, have made the ECS once again an attractive target for therapy.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26412154

https://www.cell.com/trends/endocrinology-metabolism/fulltext/S1043-2760(15)00140-X?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS104327601500140X%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

Cannabis and Endocannabinoid Signaling in Epilepsy.

Posted on September 27, 2015 by David

“The antiepileptic potential of Cannabis sativa preparations has been historically recognized.

Recent changes in legal restrictions and new well-documented cases reporting remarkably strong beneficial effects have triggered an upsurge in exploiting medical marijuana in patients with refractory epilepsy.

Parallel research efforts in the last decade have uncovered the fundamental role of the endogenous cannabinoid system in controlling neuronal network excitability raising hopes for cannabinoid-based therapeutic approaches.

However, emerging data show that patient responsiveness varies substantially, and that cannabis administration may sometimes even exacerbate seizures. Qualitative and quantitative chemical variability in cannabis products and personal differences in the etiology of seizures, or in the pathological reorganization of epileptic networks, can all contribute to divergent patient responses.

Thus, the consensus view in the neurologist community is that drugs modifying the activity of the endocannabinoid system should first be tested in clinical trials to establish efficacy, safety, dosing, and proper indication in specific forms of epilepsies.

To support translation from anecdote-based practice to evidence-based therapy, the present review first introduces current preclinical and clinical efforts for cannabinoid- or endocannabinoid-based epilepsy treatments.

Next, recent advances in our knowledge of how endocannabinoid signaling limits abnormal network activity as a central component of the synaptic circuit-breaker system will be reviewed to provide a framework for the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of the beneficial and adverse effects.

Finally, accumulating evidence demonstrating robust synapse-specific pathophysiological plasticity of endocannabinoid signaling in epileptic networks will be summarized to gain better understanding of how and when pharmacological interventions may have therapeutic relevance.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26408165

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

Alteration of delta-6-desaturase (FADS2), secretory phospholipase-A2 (sPLA2) enzymes by Hot-nature diet with co-supplemented hemp seed, evening primrose oils intervention in multiple sclerosis patients.

Posted on September 16, 2015 by David

“The effect of nutrition and dietary supplements as environmental factors has been suggested as possible factors affecting both disease risk and progression in on the course of multiple sclerosis with complex genetic-risk profiles.

This study was aimed to assess regulation of surface-membrane enzymes such as Delta-6-desaturase (FADS2), secretory Phospholipase A2(sPLA2) by hemp seed and evening primrose oils as well as Hot-natured dietary intervention in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients…

The co-supplemented hemp seed and evening primrose oils with Hot nature diet can have beneficial effects in improving clinical symptoms and signs in RRMS patients which were confirmed by regulation of surface-membrane enzymes.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26365444

Cannabinoids for treatment of spasticity and other symptoms related to multiple sclerosis (CAMS study): multicentre randomised placebo-controlled trial.

Posted on September 15, 2015 by David

“Multiple sclerosis is associated with muscle stiffness, spasms, pain, and tremor. Much anecdotal evidence suggests that cannabinoids could help these symptoms.

Our aim was to test the notion that cannabinoids have a beneficial effect on spasticity and other symptoms related to multiple sclerosis.

There was evidence of a treatment effect on patient-reported spasticity and pain, with improvement in spasticity…

INTERPRETATION:

Treatment with cannabinoids did not have a beneficial effect on spasticity when assessed with the Ashworth scale. However… objective improvement in mobility and patients’ opinion of an improvement in pain suggest cannabinoids might be clinically useful.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14615106

A pharmacological basis of herbal medicines for epilepsy.

Posted on September 6, 2015 by David

“Epilepsy is the most common chronic neurological disease, affecting about 1% of the world’s population during their lifetime. Most people with epilepsy can attain a seizure-free life upon treatment with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).

Unfortunately, seizures in up to 30% do not respond to treatment. It is estimated that 90% of people with epilepsy live in developing countries, and most of them receive no drug treatment for the disease. This treatment gap has motivated investigations into the effects of plants that have been used by traditional healers all over the world to treat seizures.

Extracts of hundreds of plants have been shown to exhibit anticonvulsant activity in phenotypic screens performed in experimental animals.

Some of those extracts appear to exhibit anticonvulsant efficacy similar to that of synthetic AEDs.

Dozens of plant-derived chemical compounds have similarly been shown to act as anticonvulsants in various in vivo and in vitro assays.

To a significant degree, anticonvulsant effects of plant extracts can be attributed to widely distributed flavonoids, (furano)coumarins, phenylpropanoids, and terpenoids.

Flavonoids and coumarins have been shown to interact with the benzodiazepine site of the GABAA receptor and various voltage-gated ion channels, which are targets of synthetic AEDs.

Modulation of the activity of ligand-gated and voltage-gated ion channels provides an explanatory basis of the anticonvulsant effects of plant secondary metabolites.

Many complex extracts and single plant-derived compounds exhibit antiinflammatory, neuroprotective, and cognition-enhancing activities that may be beneficial in the treatment of epilepsy.

Thus, botanicals provide a base for target-oriented antiepileptic drug discovery and development.

In the future, preclinical work should focus on the characterization of the effects of plant extracts and plant-derived compounds on well-defined targets rather than on phenotypic screening using in vivo animal models of acute seizures. At the same time, available data provide ample justification for clinical studies with selected standardized botanical extracts and plant-derived compounds.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26074183

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

Cannabinoid receptor type 1 agonist ACEA improves motor recovery and protects neurons in ischemic stroke in mice.

Posted on August 25, 2015 by David

“Brain ischemia produces neuronal cell death and the recruitment of pro-inflammatory cells.

In turn, the search for neuroprotection against this type of insult has rendered results involving a beneficial role of endocannabinoid receptor agonists in the Central Nervous System.

In this work, to further elucidate the mechanisms associated to this neuroprotective effect…

Motor tests showed a progressive deterioration in motor activity in ischemic animals, which only ACEA treatment was able to counteract.

Our results suggest that CB1R may be involved in neuronal survival and in the regulation of neuroprotection during focal cerebral ischemia in mice.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26296704

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