Cannabis

Scientists have found preliminary evidence that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other compounds found in marijuana can promote the cellular removal of amyloid beta, a toxic protein associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Anecdotal and scientific evidence suggests that Cannabis use may be beneficial in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Here, we have investigated the effect of a standardized Cannabis sativa extract with high content of cannabidiol (CBD), here named CBD BDS for “CBD botanical drug substance,” on mucosal inflammation and hypermotility in mouse models of intestinal inflammation. Colitis was induced in mice by intracolonic administration of dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (DNBS). Motility was evaluated in the experimental model of intestinal hypermotility induced by irritant croton oil. CBD BDS or pure CBD were given - either intraperitoneally or by oral gavage – after the inflammatory insult (curative protocol). The amounts of CBD in the colon, brain, and liver after the oral treatments were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to ion trap-time of flight mass spectrometry. CBD BDS, both when given intraperitoneally and by oral gavage, decreased the extent of the damage (as revealed by the decrease in the colon weight/length ratio and myeloperoxidase activity) in the DNBS model of colitis. It also reduced intestinal hypermotility (at doses lower than those required to affect transit in healthy mice) in the croton oil model of intestinal hypermotility. Under the same experimental conditions, pure CBD did not ameliorate colitis while it normalized croton oil-induced hypermotility when given intraperitoneally (in a dose-related fashion) or orally (only at...

Cannabis sativa L. is an important herbaceous species originating from Central Asia, which has been used in folk medicine and as a source of textile fiber since the dawn of times. This fast-growing plant has recently seen a resurgence of interest because of its multi-purpose applications: it is indeed a treasure trove of phytochemicals and a rich source of both cellulosic and woody fibers. Equally highly interested in this plant are the pharmaceutical and construction sectors, since its metabolites show potent bioactivities on human health and its outer and inner stem tissues can be used to make bioplastics and concrete-like material, respectively. In this review, the rich spectrum of hemp phytochemicals is discussed by putting a special emphasis on molecules of industrial interest, including cannabinoids, terpenes and phenolic compounds, and their biosynthetic routes. Cannabinoids represent the most studied group of compounds, mainly due to their wide range of pharmaceutical effects in humans, including psychotropic activities. The therapeutic and commercial interests of some terpenes and phenolic compounds, and in particular stilbenoids and lignans, are also highlighted in view of the most recent literature data. Biotechnological avenues to enhance the production and bioactivity of hemp secondary metabolites are proposed by discussing the power of plant genetic engineering and tissue culture. In particular two systems are reviewed, i.e., cell suspension and hairy root cu...

Current Oncology, an international, peer-reviewed Open Access journal.

In several countries with a National medicinal cannabis program, pharmaceutical regulations specify that herbal cannabis products must adhere to strict safety standards regarding microbial contamination. Treatment by gamma irradiation currently seems the only method available to meet these requirements. We evaluated the effects of irradiation treatment of four different cannabis varieties covering different chemical compositions. Samples were compared before and after standard gamma-irradiation treatment by performing quantitative UPLC analysis of major cannabinoids, as well as qualitative GC analysis of full cannabinoid and terpene profiles. In addition, water content and microscopic appearance of the cannabis flowers was evaluated. This study found that treatment did not cause changes in the content of THC and CBD, generally considered as the most important therapeutically active components of medicinal cannabis. Likewise, the water content and the microscopic structure of the dried cannabis flowers were not altered by standard irradiation protocol in the cannabis varieties studied. The effect of gamma-irradiation was limited to a reduction of some terpenes present in the cannabis, but keeping the terpene profile qualitatively the same. Based on the results presented in this report, gamma irradiation of herbal cannabis remains the recommended method of decontamination, at least until other more generally accepted methods have been developed and validated.

Since the identification of cannabinoid receptors in the 1990s, a research field has been dedicated to exploring the role of the cannabinoid system in immunity and the inflammatory response in human tissues and animal models. Although the cannabinoid system is present and crucial in many human tissues, studying the impact of cannabinoids on the lungs is particularly relevant because of their contact with exogenous cannabinoids in the context of marijuana consumption. In the past two decades, the scientific community has gathered a large body of evidence supporting that the activation of the cannabinoid system alleviates pain and reduces inflammation. In the context of lung inflammation, exogenous and endogenous cannabinoids have shown therapeutic potential because of their inhibitory effects on immune cell recruitment and functions. On the other hand, cannabinoids were shown to be deleterious to lung function and to impact respiratory pathogen clearance. In this review, we present the existing data on the regulation of lung immunity and inflammation by phytocannabinoids, synthetic cannabinoids and endocannabinoids.

People with cannabis allergies are becoming more common. Learn more about the condition, the symptoms, and your options if you are allergic to cannabis.

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Cannabis sativa has long been known for its psychotropic effect. Only recently with the discovery of the cannabinoid receptors, their endogenous legen…

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Low-dose and high-dose treatments, protocols for chronic users, and the potential benefits of psychoactivity.

The results of the AIFA e-registry analysis align with those of other THC:CBD observational projects and reaffirm the characteristics of this therapeutic option in the management of treatment-resistant MS spasticity, a frequently overlooked symptom.

CBD oil possesses cannabidiol; while THC is psychoactive, CBD is not, thereby helping relieve pain and depression, fighting cancer, and reducing anxiety.

Hemp seeds are gaining increased recognition as a delicious and nutritious food, but few still know they have significant medicinal value as well.

Cannabis Oil Helps People Fight Cancer On A Global Scale | Cannabis Extract Medicine Begins To Take Hold Worldwide

Proceedings: AACR 107th Annual Meeting 2016; April 16-20, 2016; New Orleans, LA Cervical cancer remains a global health related issue among females of Sub-Saharan Africa, with over half a million new cases reported each year. Different therapeutic regimens have been suggested in various regions of Africa, however, over a quarter of a million women die of cervical cancer, annually. Therefore, it is important to search for new drugs through effective screening of medicinal plant extracts to identify lead anti-cervical cancer drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate for the anti-growth effects of Cannabis sativa extracts and its isolate, cannabidiol on cervical cancer cell lines HeLa, SiHa, and ME-180. To determine for the presence of important constituents and evaluate for the anti-growth effects, phytochemical screening, MTT assay, cell growth analysis, flow cytometry, morphology analysis, Western blot, caspase 3/7 assay, and ATP measurement assay were conducted were conducted. Results obtained indicate that both plant extracts induced cell death at an IC50 of 50 - 100μg/ml and the Inhibition of cell growth was cell line dependent. Flow cytometry confirmed that, with or without cell cycle arrest, the type of induced cell death was apoptosis. Cannabis sativa extracts led to the up-regulation of apoptosis proteins (p53, Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9) and the down regulation of anti-apoptosis proteins (Bcl-2 and RBBP6), signalling the execution of apoptosis. Apoptosis induction was further confirmed by morphological changes, an increase in Caspase 3/7 and a decrease in the ATP levels. In conclusion, this data implies Cannabis sativa crude extracts has the potential to inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in cervical cancer cell lines, which may be due to the presence of cannabidiol. Citation Format: Lesetja Raymond Motadi, sindiswa lukhelo. Isolated cannabidiol from Cannabis sativa plant extracts inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in cervical cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2190.

Alzheimer's Disease & Cannabis: how do cannabinoids help with AD? Cannabinoids have neuroprotective, antioxidant and antinflammatory properties. Learn more!

This study had the objective of preparing a hempseed protein hydrolysate and investigating its hypocholesterolemic properties. The hydrolysate was prepared treating a total protein extract with pepsin. Nano HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis permitted identifying in total 90 peptides belonging to 33 proteins. In the range 0.1–1.0 mg/mL, it inhibited the catalytic activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCoAR) in a dose-dependent manner. HepG2 cells were treated with 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/mL of the hydrolysate. Immunoblotting detection showed increments in the protein levels of regulatory element binding proteins 2 (SREBP2), low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), and HMGCoAR. However, the parallel activation of the phospho-5′-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway, produced an inactivation of HMGCoAR by phosphorylation. The functional ability of HepG2 cells to uptake extracellular LDL was raised by 50.5 ± 2.7%, 221.5 ± 1.6%, and 109 ± 3.5%, respectively, versus the control at 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/mL concentrations. Finally, also a raise of the protein level of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexintype 9 was observed. All of these data suggest that the mechanism of action has some similarity with that of statins.

Food proteins from different sources can provide beneficial effects on human health by releasing the bioactive peptides that are integral part of their native structure. In this study, we tested the biological potential of hempseed protein hydrolysates (HPHs) obtained from hempseed cake protein isolate. The HPHs were prepared by enzyme hydrolysis using three different proteases of microbial origin: Alcalase®, Neutrase® and Protamex®. The antioxidant activity of the obtained hydrolysates was determined by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay, while the proliferative effects on normal (HaCaT) and cancer (HeLa) cells were determined by the CellTiter 96® AQueous One Solution Reagent (MTS) assay. HPHs showed dose-dependent antiproliferative effects on HeLa cells and stimulatory effects on the proliferation of HaCaT cells. HPH obtained by Neutrase® (HPH-N) showed the highest antioxidant activity expressed as an ORAC value. The protective effect of HPH-N on H2O2-induced oxidative stress in normal and cancer cells was evaluated and 1 mg/mL of HPH-N significantly reduced the formation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in both cell lines. The obtained results indicate the benefits of HPHs as potential natural antioxidants for the food industry and contribute to the growing trend of utilizing hempseed by-products.

Cannabis is a food. Not a substance, not a drug, not an herb. It is simply a food, and as with all superfoods, it has a myriad of healing properties.