Cannabinoids in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Posted on March 20, 2015 by David

“Given the lack of effective treatments for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) and the substantial burden on patients, families, healthcare systems, and economies, finding an effective therapy is one of the highest medical priorities.

The past few years have seen a growing interest in the medicinal uses of cannabinoids, the bioactive components of the cannabis plant, including the treatment of LOAD and other physical conditions that are common in older people.

Several in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that cannabinoids can reduce oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, the key hallmarks of LOAD.

Also, in population-based studies, cannabinoids reduced dementia-related symptoms (e.g., behavioral disturbances).

The current article provides an overview of the potential of cannabinoids in the treatment of LOAD and related neuropsychiatric symptoms in older people.

We also discuss the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of cannabinoid-based drugs in older people with dementia.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25788394

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

Are Cannabinoids Effective for Orofacial Pain States?

Posted on February 27, 2015 by David

“…there is increasing attention being given in the media as well as in the biomedical sciences to the use as analgesic agents of the crude extracts of plants of the genus Cannabis (eg, marijuana) and their active ingredient delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC).

These cannabinoid compounds have been reported in the biomedical literature to be beneficial in the treatment of some types of neuropathic pain and other pain states…

This review has found evidence indicating that they may be effective analgesic agents for neuropathic pain conditions refractory to other therapeutic approaches…

The clinical findings pointing to the usefulness of the cannabinoids for pain relief are supported by a growing body of evidence from basic science investigations addressing the possible efficacy and mechanisms of action of the cannabinoids in animal models of acute or chronic pain.

These preclinical findings add to the growing evidence that cannabinoid receptor agonists may be effective agents for the treatment of neuropathic pain and other types of pain.

They also point to their possible clinical utility in acute or chronic orofacial pain conditions, and thereby suggest an affirmative answer applies to the question posed in the title of this editorial.”

http://www.quintpub.com/journals/ofph/abstract.php?article_id=15025#.VPBsU033-iw

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

Sativex in the management of multiple sclerosis-related spasticity: role of the corticospinal modulation.

Posted on February 24, 2015 by David

“Sativex is an emergent treatment option for spasticity in patients affected by multiple sclerosis (MS).

This oromucosal spray, acting as a partial agonist at cannabinoid receptors, may modulate the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, leading to muscle relaxation that is in turn responsible for spasticity improvement.

The aim of our study was to investigate the role of Sativex in improving spasticity and related symptomatology in MS patients by means of an extensive neurophysiological assessment of sensory-motor circuits…

Our data showed an increase of intracortical inhibition, a significant reduction of spinal excitability, and an improvement in spasticity and associated symptoms.

Thus, we can speculate that Sativex could be effective in reducing spasticity by means of a double effect on intracortical and spinal excitability.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25699191

http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/multiple-sclerosis-ms/

Evaluation of Phytocannabinoids from High Potency Cannabis sativa using In Vitro Bioassays to Determine Structure-Activity Relationships for Cannabinoid Receptor 1 and Cannabinoid Receptor 2.

Posted on February 13, 2015 by David

“Cannabis has been around for thousands of years and has been used recreationally, medicinally, and for fiber.

Over 500 compounds have been isolated from Cannabis sativa with approximately 105 being cannabinoids. Of those 105 compounds, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol has been determined as the primary constituent, which is also responsible for the psychoactivity associated with Cannabis.

Cannabinoid receptors belong to the large superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors.

Targeting the cannabinoid receptors has the potential to treat a variety of conditions such as pain, neurodegeneration, appetite, immune function, anxiety, cancer, and others.

Developing in vitro bioassays to determine binding and functional activity of compounds has the ability to lead researchers to develop a safe and effective drug that may target the cannabinoid receptors…”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25419092

A systematic review of the antipsychotic properties of cannabidiol in humans.

Posted on February 11, 2015 by David

“Despite extensive study over the past decades, available treatments for schizophrenia are only modestly effective and cause serious metabolic and neurological side effects. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of schizophrenia.

A highly promising new pharmacological target in the context of schizophrenia is the endocannabinoid system…

the non-psychotropic, plant-derived cannabinoid agent cannabidiol (CBD) may have antipsychotic properties, and thus may be a promising new agent in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Here we review studies that investigated the antipsychotic properties of CBD in human subjects.

Results show the ability of CBD to counteract psychotic symptoms and cognitive impairment associated with cannabis use as well as with acute THC administration.

In addition, CBD may lower the risk for developing psychosis that is related to cannabis use.

These effects are possibly mediated by opposite effects of CBD and THC on brain activity patterns in key regions implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, such as the striatum, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.

The first small-scale clinical studies with CBD treatment of patients with psychotic symptoms further confirm the potential of CBD as an effective, safe and well-tolerated antipsychotic compound, although large randomised clinical trials will be needed before this novel therapy can be introduced into clinical practice.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25667194

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

Cannabinoid Receptor CB2 Is Involved in Tetrahydrocannabinol-Induced Anti-Inflammation against Lipopolysaccharide in MG-63 Cells.

Posted on February 6, 2015 by David

“Cannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is effective in treating osteoarthritis (OA)…

Activation of cannabinoid receptor CB2 reduces inflammation; whether the activation CB2 is involved in THC-induced therapeutic action for OA is still unknown.

We hypothesized that the activation of CB2 is involved in THC-induced anti-inflammation in the MG-63 cells exposed to LPS, and the anti-inflammation is mediated by cofilin-1…

We found that THC suppressed the release of proinflammatory factors, including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin- (IL-) 1β, IL-6, and IL-8, decreased nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) expression, and inhibited the upregulation of cofilin-1 protein in the LPS-stimulated MG-63 cells.

These results suggested that CB2 is involved in the THC-induced anti-inflammation in LPS-stimulated MG-63 cells, and the anti-inflammation may be mediated by cofilin-1.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25653478

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4310496/

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

The Effectiveness of Cannabinoids in the Management of Chronic Nonmalignant Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review.

Posted on January 31, 2015 by David

“… a systematic review to assess the effectiveness of cannabis extracts and cannabinoids in the management of chronic nonmalignant neuropathic pain…

Randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) involving cannabis and cannabinoids for the treatment of chronic nonmalignant pain were selected…

Evaluation of these studies suggested that cannabinoids may provide effective analgesia in chronic neuropathic pain conditions that are refractory to other treatments.

Conclusion: Cannabis based medicinal extracts used in different populations of chronic nonmalignant neuropathic pain patients may provide effective analgesia in conditions that are refractory to other treatments. ”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25635955

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

Drug discovery strategies that focus on the endocannabinoid signaling system in psychiatric disease.

Posted on December 11, 2014 by David

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

Targeting the eCB system appears to represent an attractive and novel approach to the treatment of depression and other mood disorders.

…the review provides discussion on compounds and drugs that target this system and might prove to be successful for the treatment of mood-related psychiatric disorders.

The discovery of increasingly selective modulators of CB receptors should enable the identification of optimal therapeutic strategies.

It should also maximize the likelihood of developing safe and effective treatments for debilitating psychiatric disorders.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25488672

Cannabinoids drug for inflammatory bowel

Posted on June 24, 2014 by David

“Researchers from the University of Bath, UK has found that Cannabinoids derived from Cannabis has found to be effective in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

“The system that responds to cannabis in the brain is present and functioning in the lining of the gut,” lead researcher Dr. Karen Wright, of the University of Bath, explained to Reuters Health. “There is an increased presence of one component of this system during inflammatory bowel diseases,” she explained.

The report of the study was published in the Journal of Gastroenterology in which she has explained the location of CB1 and CB2 receptors in human colon tissue which binds to the Cannabinoid. She has used Human colon cell lines to establish the binding of the cannabinoid compounds and in her wound healing experiments.

Increased CB2 receptors are found in colonic tissue characteristic of inflammatory bowel disease. They found that the Cannabinoids helps in wound healing of the surface by CB1 related receptor mechanism.

“Cannabinoids, which we make ourselves, as well as synthetic Cannabinoids, can promote wound healing in the gut, which is extremely interesting given that inflammatory bowel disease involves damaged gut linings,” Wright said.”

http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?x=4578

Cannibinoids offer novel treatment for pain in sickle cell disease, study suggests

Posted on June 23, 2014 by David

“Researchers have discovered that cannibinoids offer a novel approach to ease the chronic and acute pain caused by sickle cell disease.

“This paper provides proof that we can use other classifications of drugs to treat pain in patients with sickle cell disease,” Gupta said.

“Cannibinoids offer great promise in the treatment of chronic and acute pain, and they’re effective in much lower amounts than opioids — the only currently approved treatment for this disease.”

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100722121225.htm

“Pain-related behaviors and neurochemical alterations in mice expressing sickle hemoglobin: modulation by cannabinoids… Our observations in these mice suggest that both systemically administered and locally applied cannabinoids may be beneficial in treating pain in SCD.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2913454/