Targeting Weed: Therapeutic possibilities

Targeting Weed: Therapeutic Possibilities

Cannabis has a complicated relationship with society. The perception of the widely used recreational drug has attracted scientific attention and ignited ideas of research. However accessibility has changed throughout the previous years with legalization of the drug. In turn, the availability of the drug increases along with tolerance.

Marijuana is a schedule 1 drug, meaning there is plenty of red tape when it comes to researching the affects of the drug within human disease; despite this, cannabinoids have the ability to provide pain relief on such chronic conditions and neuro-degeneration.

No matter the public perception, scientific studies are showing therapeutic possibilities with marijuana and its link to the endocannabinoid system. Potential therapies could be used in remarkable ways if used with intentionality and knowledge.

Understanding Cannabis

The active compound in marijuana is delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)  and cannabidol (CBD). These compounds are not present in your body unlike the cannabinoid system. THC is responsible for the psychoactive experience that occurs when using marijuana,  the feeling of being ‘high’.

CBD on the other hand is non-psychoactive. CBD has anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic affects–reducing anxiety, and neuro-protective properties.

The Endocannabinoid System (ECS)

CB1 and CB2 regulate the release of neurotransmitters. Cannabinoids react with cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system already exist in your body believe it or not. The job of ECS is to regulate a multitude of processing in the CNS central nervous system. This include things such as pain perception, memory and learning, emotional processing, sleeping and eating, and immune and inflammatory response. ECS is diverse with chemical signals and receptors. Our bodies produces cannabinoids, CB1 receptors are more abundant than CB2 receptors and are posed at at different areas in the body. The two primary cannabinoids however are, endocannibinoids 2-archidonoyl glycerol (2AG) and arachidonoyl ethanolamide (AEA) / anandamide. These molecules are synthesized and released as needed.

CB1 has the ability to decrease excitotoxicity which is the process where nerve cells are damaged from excess stimulation resulting in neurodegenerative diseases, strokes, or traumatic brain injury. By decreasing excitotoxicity, CB1 reduces the amount of glutamate release at synapses, therefore inhibiting excitotoxic damage.

CB1 also plays a role in temperature regulation by preserving stability and circulation. CB1 activation causes hyper-activation of microglia which releases pro inflammatory cytokines. This is the microglial phenotype shifting from M1 phenotype (pro-inflammatory) to M2 phenotype  (Anti-inflammatory and neuro-protection). With reduction of inflammatory molecules, CB2 helps create a neuro-protective environment. improving the outcome of pain management and slowing progression of diseases like Alzheimers disease or Parkinson’s disease.

Future Research

Medical marijuana is known to help in treatment to alleviate pain, but the question is can this drug have potentially curing possibilities that are lasting, and how are we able to target that? There is far enough evidence that the drug has therapeutic properties. Where it is most commonly used to alleviate pain. Cannabis can be used as an anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive which lowers blood glucose levels.

This issue with trying to flip the script with a schedule-1 drug is that, cannabis has been used as a recreational drug for as long as it has been around. The real question  and research is long-term safety and the side affects that may occur with long-term and short-term use of cannabis.

Footnotes:

D’Amico, E. J., Miles, J. N. V., & Tucker, J. S. (2015, September). Gateway to curiosity: Medical marijuana ads and intention and use during Middle School. Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4587352/

Kendall, D. A., & Yudowski, G. A. (2017, January 4). Cannabinoid receptors in the central nervous system: Their signaling and roles in disease. Frontiers in cellular neuroscience. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5209363/