Marijuana is a type of cannabinoid which has had a long-held reputation for recreational drug use throughout the world. The main plant source, Cannabis sativa, has been cultivated for generations because of its psychotropic effects. In the last two decades, it has emerged as a legal form of drug treatment for patients with cancer, Tourette syndrome, eating disorders, and many other medical issues. The use of marijuana as a therapeutic tool continues to be a social and political issue. Twenty states have approved the use of medical marijuana since 1996. Colorado has implemented the most recent marijuana legislature, by legalizing recreational as well as medical usage. Other states may be soon to follow pending the economic and social outcomes.
With all this hype around the topic, what do we really know about its effects? I know I am guilty of minimalizing marijuana usage solely as a means to get high. In the article this week, I learned that there is much more to the drug. The key to marijuana’s medical usage lies in its dominant chemical component, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Its discovery has directed research towards finding cannabis derivatives which have the same positive results within the body without the unwanted psychological effects.
Humans have a built-in system that is acted upon by cannabinoids, such as marijuana, as well as cannabinoid-like compounds native to the body, called endocannabinoids. The most common endocannabinoids include anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG). The discovery of naturally occurring compounds similar to cannabinoids that act upon the same receptors was the first major step to discovering its potential usage. The endocannabinoids act on receptors, called CB1 receptors, that are localized in areas of the brain which control memory, cognition, movement, and pain reception.
Both AEA and 2-AG induce the same physiological effects as marijuana such as numbing of pain, motor depression, and a trance-like state. The endocannabinoids play a role in a number of different systems within the body including the central nervous system, immune, endocrine, gastrointestinal, reproductive, and more. This highlights the biochemical importance of the endogenous cannabinoids and the potential for cannabinoids such as marijuana for drug treatments for a broad range of diseases.
On a cellular level, the endocannabinoid system is vital for balancing cell production and cell death depending on the factors that interact. By controlling the rate of cell growth and death, the endocannabinoid system may play a vital role in regulating different types of cancers, such as breast carcinoma and prostate. One method of activation is through the adenylyl cylase and ERK activation. Another mechanism induces superxoide anion formation and caspase-3 formation, a key protein in many pathways that lead to cell death. A third pathway involving CB2 activation involves increased levels of ceramide, a lipid, that induces mitochondrial stress. In the end, the cell is destroyed which is important when regulating harmful cancer cells.
A lot of people attribute marijuana use to teenage misuse. We forget about the cancer patient who is using it to induce their appetite during chemotherapy treatments. Or the person with multiple sclerosis who uses it to stop muscle spasms. I believe that there are health-related benefits to the drug, but they are yet to be refined. This review covered just a few of the areas that could really benefit from developing effective cannabinoid-like drugs. The debate over legalizing one drug overshadows the benefits that its derivatives may have in controlling the same disorders without the psychological effects. It is important to take a step back from our previous conceptions and look at the possible positive uses of marijuana and other cannabinoids, because there is still a lot more to the story.
Sources used:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/state-laws-related-to-marijuana
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1098882313000087
Cannabis: More Than Meets the Eye
