What are the pathologies treated?
Anorexia: Endocannabinoid System - ECS activity in the central nervous system regulates food intake. This is because whenever you are hungry, ECS sends signals to the hypothalamus (a brain structure that helps regulate your appetite), which lets your limbic system (an area that controls emotion) know it's about to " decrease "with that. Endocannabinoids work to slow the process of gastrointestinal emptying and transit and appear to stimulate the secretion of ghrelin, a hormone that increases appetite and food intake. After eating, your brain receives satiety signals (through the hormone leptin) from the small intestine, which reduces activity in ECS and lets your body know that you have eaten enough.
Social Anxiety Disorder: The relationship between Hemp and anxiety is interesting. Large concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are often associated with paranoia and anxiety attacks, however it is well documented that cannabidiol (CBD) found in Hemp and Cannabis may counteract this effect. That said, a group of Brazilian researchers published an article in the Journal of Psychopharmacology in 2011 that further investigates the relationship between cannabidiol (CBD) and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Their findings suggest that CBD may offer a viable therapeutic alternative for people suffering from SAD.
Arthritis/Rheumatoid Arthritis: According to an animal study published in PloS ONE, researchers have concluded that targeting CB2 receptors may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of pain [arthritis]. Therapies that stimulate CB2 receptors, including endocannabinoids, phytocannabinoids or synthetic cannabinoids, may be useful for this purpose. These results not only add to previous evidence suggesting that cannabinoid therapies may be useful in the treatment of pain (eg chronic and neuropathic pain, as well as pain resulting specifically from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis) and inflammation, but according to researchers also "provide a neurobiological basis for the analgesic effects of the CB2 receptor" (ie, the effect of cannabinoid therapies on pain is unlikely to be merely the result of emotion regulation).
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): CB2 is believed to play a neuroprotective role in response to a variety of inflammatory stimuli, and this has implications for various neuropsychiatric conditions, including ASD. In ASD, as in many conditions, the level of CB2 receptor expression increases in response to the inflammatory nature of the condition. As CB2 is up-regulated and is believed to play a neuroprotective role, CB2 is being investigated as a potential target for the treatment of ASD.
Bipolar Disorder: The Journal of Psychopharmacology published a review and discussion by CH Ashton et al., Exploring the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids in bipolar affective disorder. The review acknowledged that bipolar disorder is often poorly controlled by prescription drugs and therefore the team was interested in determining whether medicinal cannabis could provide mental health benefits. The researchers reviewed the literature on bipolar disorder patients' use and the neuropharmacological properties of cannabinoids, and found that reports suggest that some patients take it to relieve symptoms of mania and depression, thus suggesting that cannabis has possible effects. in such cases and conditions.
Cerebral Palsy: Cannabis has shown medical efficacy for symptoms such as spasticity, pain, and sleep disturbance in other conditions, and anecdotal evidence provides additional support for its use as a treatment option for cerebral palsy symptoms.
Crohn's disease: Cannabinoid receptors are found in the nervous system, including the central, peripheral and enteric components. CB1 and CB2 receptors are found in cells lining the internal space of the colon (epithelium), with activation of the CB1 receptor designed to prevent excessive stimulation of bowel movement and secretion, which may be caused by excessive inflammation. Therefore, it may reduce the likelihood of diarrhea. When CB2 receptors are activated, the amount of programmed cell death (apoptosis) increases for T cells and the number of T cells decreases. In addition, fewer white blood cells, including T cells, neutrophils, and macrophages, are called to the site of potential damage or damage. Therefore, harmful inflammation is reduced.
Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/Degenerative Disc Disease: Results from a controlled animal study published in PLoS One in December 2014 suggest that the administration of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid (known for its numerous potential health benefits, including inflammation and pain reduction), may be helpful in reducing damage caused by intervertebral disc degeneration.
Epilepsy: Preliminary data from a recent clinical study by GW Pharmaceuticals on a high CBD drug were released in June and show evidence of the likely efficacy of the product for treatment-resistant convulsive and non-convulsive epilepsy (eg, Dravet's syndrome). Lennox-Gastaut syndrome) in children. Of which 27 epilepsy patients (mean age 10.5 years; one participant was 26 years old), with Dravet syndrome as the most prevalent condition, were enrolled in the 12-week uncontrolled study at 2 different US hospitals. under new drug under investigation (IND) applications through the FDA. CBD was used as a complementary therapy to the participants' current treatment regimen - participants were taking other antiepileptic drugs at the time of the study's final evaluation.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV / AIDS): Medical cannabis has long been used to treat symptoms associated with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (chronic pain, nausea, fatigue, etc.). However, there is evidence that cannabis can stop the progression of the disease. A group of researchers at Louisiana State University published a study in the journal AIDS Research and Human Retrovirus that helps fuel the fire. The study results suggest that cannabis could help in the battle against HIV.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): Cannabis is considered an ideal drug to help lupus patients cope with symptoms of the disorder such as nausea and pain. It is also known to be an anti-inflammatory, suppressing certain parts of the immune system.
Multiple Sclerosis / Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A controlled animal study published in Daru: Journal of Faculty and Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences found that CBD treatment can help reduce the damage caused by a disease that results in brain inflammation . This is relevant for humans with autoimmune diseases that lead to demyelination (damage to the fat covering around neurons that helps them transmit signals faster) such as multiple sclerosis.
Muscular Dystrophies: A 2010 study in the American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care described how cannabis could potentially benefit ALS through some mechanisms: reducing glutamate transmission with antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity, activity modulation of microglial cells, prevents apoptosis (cell death) in healthy cells, neuroprotective and neurotrophic effects (help neurons to grow) and improves mitochondrial function.
Alzheimer: A study published in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience in September 2013 (previously reviewed in Medical Jane here) provides evidence that herbal cannabinoids can be effective in reversing amyloid accumulation in the brain, aiding its transport through the brain. blood-brain barrier and outside the brain.
Parkinson: CB1 and CB2 receptor signaling is known to be involved in the regulation of Ca2 + [calcium] homeostasis, ie the mechanism by which systems are kept balanced, mitochondrial function, energy producing cell components, trophic support, growth, and inflammatory status, while other cannabinoid-blocked receptors are gaining interest in their anti-inflammatory properties. Through several lines of evidence, this evolutionarily conserved system has demonstrated neuroprotective capabilities and is therefore a potential target for neurodegenerative disorders. While current articles describe the evidence There is a potential for cannabinoid therapy as a treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Currently, obsessive-compulsive patients are often treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as the antidepressant Prozac, in addition to psychotherapy. That said, a team of researchers published a study in the journal Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology earlier this month, investigating cannabidiol (CBD) and its ability to help treat rats with OCD. The researchers then administered two levels (30mg / kg or 15mg / kg) of cannabidiol (CBD) and evaluated obsessive-compulsive activity in each rat. Interestingly, even a low dose of CBD decreased marble burying behavior without changing the overall activity level of rats.