Therapeutic Potential of Non-Psychotropic Cannabidiol in Ischemic Stroke

Posted on November 13, 2014 by David

“Cannabis contains over 60 different terpeno-phenol compounds…

cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabidivarin (CBDV) are known as non-psychoactive components of cannabis.

These compounds have shown anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, analgesic, anxiolytic and anti-cancer effects…

Cannabinoids may play a role in neuroprotection in disorders such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury and epilepsy…

It is well-known that delta9-THC and other cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonists are neuroprotective during global and focal ischemic injury…

Accumulating data now suggest that cannabinoid CB1 receptors contribute to neuroprotection… Emerging data now support the evidence of the anti-inflammatory action of CBD…

We have previously reported that CBD has a potent and long-lasting neuroprotective effect when administered both pre- and post-ischemia, whereas only pre-ischemic treatment with delta9-THC reduced the infarction size…

These results suggest that CBD may prevent post-ischemic injury progressively induced by ischemic stroke….

…anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and neuroprotective effects of CBD. In particular, CBD exerts positive pharmacological effects in ischemic stroke and other chronic diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.

The cerebroprotective action of CBD is CB1 receptor-independent, long-lasting, and has potent anti-oxidant activity. Importantly, CBD use does not lead to tolerance.

In the last 10 years, it has been possible to demonstrate that CBD has the following unique therapeutic profile: 1) a cannabinoid receptor-independent mechanism, 2) long-lasting cerebro- protective effect after ischemic stroke, and lack of development of tolerance.

Moreover, CBD has almost no side effects, including psychotropic activity.

Preliminary studies highlight the fact that the multifunctional actions of CBD may lead to benefits in more complex systems within the brain after ischemic stroke.

CBD offers new therapeutic possibilities for treating ischemic stroke…”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4036658/

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

Cannabinoids inhibit migration of microglial-like cells to the HIV protein Tat.

Posted on November 8, 2014 by David

“Microglia are a population of macrophage-like cells in the central nervous system (CNS) which, upon infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), secrete a plethora of inflammatory factors, including the virus-specified trans-activating protein Tat.

Tat has been implicated in HIV neuropathogenesis since it elicits chemokines, cytokines, and a chemotactic response from microglia. It also harbors a β-chemokine receptor binding motif, articulating a mode by which it acts as a migration stimulus.

Since select cannabinoids have anti-inflammatory properties, cross the blood-brain barrier, and target specific receptors, they have potential to serve as agents for dampening untoward neuroimmune responses.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of select cannabinoids on the migration of microglial-like cells toward Tat.

…it was demonstrated that the exogenous cannabinoids Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CP55940 exerted a concentration-related reduction in the migration of BV-2 cells towards Tat.

These results indicate that cannabinoid-mediated inhibition of BV-2 microglial-like cell migration to Tat is linked functionally to the CB2R…”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21735070

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

Cannabinoid Type 1 and Type 2 Receptor Antagonists Prevent Attenuation of Serotonin-Induced Reflex Apneas by Dronabinol in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Posted on October 29, 2014 by David

“The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in Americans is 9% and increasing…

Vagal afferent neurons are inhibited by cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) or cannabinoid type 2 (CB2) receptors in animal models of vagally-mediated behaviors…

These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of dronabinol (THC) in the treatment of OSA and implicate participation of both cannabinoid receptors in dronabinol’s apnea suppression effect.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25350456

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/sleep-apnea/

Microglial CB2 cannabinoid receptors are neuroprotective in Huntington’s disease excitotoxicity.

Posted on August 18, 2014 by David

Brain

“Cannabinoid-derived drugs are promising agents for the development of novel neuroprotective strategies.

…in Huntington’s disease there is a very early downregulation of CB₁ receptors in striatal neurons that, together with the undesirable psychoactive effects triggered by CB₁ receptor activation, foster the search for alternative pharmacological treatments.

These findings support a pivotal role for CB₂ receptors in attenuating microglial activation and preventing neurodegeneration that may pave the way to new therapeutic strategies for neuroprotection in Huntington’s disease as well as in other neurodegenerative disorders with a significant excitotoxic component.

Overall, the reduction of neuronal CB₁ receptors and the upregulation of microglial CB₂ receptors support a crucial role for the ECB system in the pathogenesis of Huntington’s disease.

The use of drugs targeting the ECB system via CB₁ receptors aimed at restoring neurochemical alterations and palliating symptoms might constitute an interesting strategy for the management of Huntington’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders with a significant excitotoxicity component.”

http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/132/11/3152.long

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

Chronic cannabinoid receptor stimulation selectively prevents motor impairments in a mouse model of Huntington’s disease.

Posted on August 16, 2014 by David

“Huntington’s disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease…

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a relevant candidate to participate in the etiopathology of HD as it is a key modulator of brain function, especially in areas primarily affected by HD…

… improving ECS function may constitute a useful strategy to eliminate or at least delay the appearance of HD symptoms…

…chronic administration was able to prevent the appearance of motor deficits, to increase the number of striatal huntingtin inclusions and to prevent the loss of striatal medium-sized spiny neurons, without affecting the social or cognitive alterations.

These findings suggest that prolonged administration of cannabinoid receptor agonists could be an appropriate strategy for selectively improving motor symptoms and stimulating neuroprotective processes in HD patients.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25123645

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

Cannabis-Based Medicine Reduces Multiple Pathological Processes in AβPP/PS1 Mice.

Posted on August 16, 2014 by David

“Several recent findings suggest that targeting the endogenous cannabinoid system can be considered as a potential therapeutic approach to treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

The present study supports this hypothesis demonstrating that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD) botanical extracts, as well as the combination of both natural cannabinoids, which are the components of an already approved cannabis-based medicine, preserved memory in AβPP/PS1 transgenic mice when chronically administered during the early symptomatic stage.

Moreover, THC + CBD reduced learning impairment in AβPP/PS1 mice.

…suggesting a cannabinoid-induced reduction in the harmful effect of the most toxic form of the Aβ peptide.

Among the mechanisms related with these positive cognitive effects, the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabinoids may also play a relevant role…

In summary, the present findings show that the combination of THC and CBD exhibits a better therapeutic profile than each cannabis component alone and support the consideration of a cannabis-based medicine as potential therapy against AD.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25125475

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/alzheimers-disease-ad/

The Pharmacokinetics, Efficacy, Safety, and Ease of Use of a Novel Portable Metered-Dose Cannabis Inhaler in Patients With Chronic Neuropathic Pain: A Phase 1a Study.

Posted on August 16, 2014 by David

“Chronic neuropathic pain is often refractory to standard pharmacological treatments.

Although growing evidence supports the use of inhaled cannabis for neuropathic pain, the lack of standard inhaled dosing plays a major obstacle in cannabis becoming a “main stream” pharmacological treatment for neuropathic pain.

The objective of this study was to explore the pharmacokinetics, safety, tolerability, efficacy, and ease of use of a novel portable thermal-metered-dose inhaler (tMDI) for cannabis in a cohort of eight patients suffering from chronic neuropathic pain and on a stable analgesic regimen including medicinal cannabis…

This trial suggests the potential use of the Syqe Inhaler device as a smokeless delivery system of medicinal cannabis, producing a Δ9-THC pharmacokinetic profile with low interindividual variation of Cmax, achieving pharmaceutical standards for inhaled drugs.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25118789

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

Cannabinoids as therapeutic agents in cancer: current status and future implications

Posted on August 15, 2014 by David

“Cannabinoids… active compounds of the Cannabis sativa plant… cannabinoids are clinically used for anti-palliative effects, recent studies open a promising possibility as anti-cancer agents.

They have been shown to possess anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic effects in vitro as well as in vivo in different cancer models…” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25115386

“Cannabinoids… the active compounds of the Cannabis sativa plant… anti-cancer agents… anti-proliferative… anti-angiogenic… anti-migratory and anti-invasive… The administration of single cannabinoids might produce limited relief compared to the administration of crude extract of plant containing multiple cannabinoids, terpenes and flavanoids.” Full-text: http://www.impactjournals.com/oncotarget/index.php?journal=oncotarget&page=article&op=view&path%5B0%5D=2233&path%5B1%5D=3664

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

[A role for the endocannabinoid system in hepatic steatosis].

Posted on July 24, 2014 by David

“The endocannabinoid system (SEC) is an important modulator of several metabolic functions.

This system is composed by cannabinoid receptors type 1 and 2 (RCB1 and RCB2), their endogenous ligands, known as endocannabinoids, and the enzymes involved in their synthesis and degradation. A deregulated SEC originates metabolic alterations in several tissues, resulting in the typical manifestations of the metabolic syndrome…

In this review we discuss the proposed mechanisms by which SEC is involved in the etiology of hepatic steatosis, as well as the therapeutic possibilities involving peripheral RCB1/RCB2 antagonism/agonism, for the treatment of this condition.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25052273

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/hepatic-steatosis/

The endocannabinoid system: a putative role in neurodegenerative diseases.

Posted on July 1, 2014 by David

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“Scientific evidence shows that an hypofunction or a dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system may be responsible for some of the symptoms of diseases such as multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

The aim of this review is to highlight the role of endocannabinoid system in neurodegenerative diseases

Scientific evidence shows that cannabis can provide symptomatic relief in several neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. These findings imply that a hypofunction or a dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system may be responsible for some of the symptoms of these diseases. Moreover, given the abundance of CB1 receptors in areas associated with movement and executive thought, researchers’ interest has often focused on endocannabinoid levels in patients with motor degenerative disorders.

CONCLUSIONS:

The important role played by endocannabinoid system promises interesting developments, in particular to evaluate the effectiveness of new drugs in both psychiatry and neurology.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4070159/