Cobbers on the Brain

“I use CBD oil with my dog to calm his separation anxiety when I’m gone or when we travel.”

“I use CBD oil for muscle pain when my neck is sore instead of ibuprofen.”

“I know of many pet owners that give CBD in some form to their pets to help with arthritis.”

These are just a few quotes from people in my life who have had positive outcomes from using CBD oil as a therapeutic technique for various pain, illness, etc. CBD in many forms, but especially oil, has become very popular as a therapeutic way of treating a variety of aches, pains, diseases, and more.

What’s the difference?

CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) are the same compound besides one simple atom. But that one atom has a big impact on the difference between these two compounds.

As shown above, there a tons of cannabinoids in cannabis, but CBD and THC are the most prominent. These cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid System (ECS) which basically is a big network of receptors that interact with cannabinoids to maintain vital functions throughout our body (find out more about cannabinoids here https://medium.com/cbd-origin/cbd-vs-thc-the-difference-explained-b3cfc1da52f0). The difference between the two cannabinoids is how it binds to certain receptors in the ECS. These bindings can produce different effects like a psychoactive effect on your brain or not. Another difference between the two is the legality. Hemp-derived CBD is legal in all 50 states, but ‘marijuana’-derived CBD is not legal federally. So if you were to go to a health product store in your town, you will be buying CBD oil from hemp. This is not only because of legality but also because the hemp plant has far more CBD than marijuana plants, which have much more THC.

Possible effects of CBD

For the purpose of discussing CBD, we can use CBD oil as the therapy of choice. For years, many research articles have shown how cannabinoids can help ease anxiety and pain through many ways. Below are some benefits of CBD oil.

1. Reduce anxiety/depressive symptoms
2. Alleviate cancer-related symptoms
3. Relieve pain
4. Benefit heart health
5. May reduce acne
6. Have neuropcrotecive properties (benefit neurological disorder symptoms like spasms, seizures, denigration of neurons)

You can read more on the scientific research behind each of these benefits here: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cbd-oil-benefits#section5

As discussed above, CBD oil has several great benefits to it’s use. As with any pharmacological drug that may be prescribed by a physician, the outcomes and side effects will vary from person to person. There can be many factors that impact CBD oil’s effect such as other prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications you take, the dosage and frequency you use CBD oil, and how severe your symptoms of pain. For these reasons and more, it is important to remember that CBD oil will most likely work differently for each person who tries it.

I believe that CBD oil is a great alternative medicine to other drugs. It can be used for such a wide variety of pain and illnesses that when possible, CBD should be studied more in order to further our knowledge of how therapeutic this drug can be.

What are endocannabinoids anyways?

Endocannabinoids are lipid-based molecules that bind to cannabinoid receptors which are from the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family. These components make up the endocannabinoid system. Endocannabinoids are made in the the body and activate these receptors. The most common endocannabinoids found in the body are Anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). These molecules are fatty-acid based molecules that are derived from arachidonic acid and therefore have similar structures. These molecules activate the CB1 or CB2 receptors. The CB1 receptors are typically found in the brain and can influence behavior, memory, cognition and movement.  These receptors modulate adenylyl cyclase and therefore the the intracellular cAMP levels which regulates regulates protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation. This causes changes in the cellular activity. The CB2 receptors are predominantly associated with immune cells and modulating the immune system. Activation of these receptors can promote neuro-protection

CBD oil vs. Cannabis

The use of cannabis and cannabidiol oil (CBD oil) to treat various diseases and illnesses is increasing in popularity. However, the differences between the two substances are not very well known. Cannabis is a schedule I drug and is only legal in a few states, whereas CBD oil is legal in all 50 states. THC is the psychoactive component found in cannabis that is not in the CBD oil. The THS is the component that causes the undesirable side effects  and produces the ‘high’ feeling. The CBD oil, however, is non-psychoactive and can yield the same benefits of activating the endocannabinoid receptors without the psychoactive component. CBD can help inhibit adenosine re-uptake. This leads to an increase of adenosine in the brain which can help alleviate anxiety symptoms and improve anti-inflammatory effects.

These substances can be used therapeutically to treat anxiety, Parkinson’s Disease and cancer. Anxiety is reduced due to the activation of the CB1 receptors by THC which is known to have relaxing and mood enhancing effects. However regular use of Cannabis has been shown to worsen symptoms of anxiety.

Endocannabinoids can differentiate between healthy cells and cancerous cells when carrying out apoptosis. There are more CB1 receptors in cancerous cells which lead to more endocannabinoids binding and therefore more apoptosis occurring in cancerous cells. By this mechanism, endocannabinoids can help shrink tumors and prevent metastasis.

The endocannabinoid system is also affected in Parkinson’s Disease. The CB1 receptors are predominantly expressed in sensory motor neurons. The loss of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s Disease causes an overactive inhibitory pathway on the motor thalamus which is why motor issues are displayed in Parkinson’s disease. Using agonists for the CB1 receptors here would regulate the neurotransmitter balance in this area and help restore motor function.

There are still lots of unanswered questions… 

The main issue faced with the therapeutic use of cannabis or endocannabinoid agonist is that these drugs can be hard to access. Due to the fact that cannabis is a Schedule I drug, it is illegal to have possession of this substance. Since it is so difficult to gain access to this substance- even for research purposes- there still is a lot of research to be done to completely understand the drug and all of its benefits as well as side-effects and drawbacks.

Due to its classification as a schedule one drug, not enough research has been done on cannabis. Although we don’t understand everything about cannabis, we do know that the endocannabinoid system is present across the human body, not just in the brain. This is one reason why medical marijuana use can aid in pain control, over/under eating, and cancer.

As a current hot topic in mainstream media, the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana can be compared to the legality of alcoholism. In the case of cannabis, we understand that there are positive health benefits to the drug. In contrast, alcohol possesses no medically beneficial properties and it purely legal for recreational purposes. I wanted to further understand the comparisons between marijuana use and alcohol use. Even former President Barack Obama has shared his opinion regarding marijuana in multiple interviews, stating, “I don’t think it is more dangerous than alcohol.”

To compare marijuana and alcohol, cases of overdose and life-threatening side-effects should be considered first. The CDC has stated that approximately 88,000 alcohol-related deaths occur every year, many having to do with alcohol poisoning/overdose. In contrast, it has been determined by previous research that a fatal dose of marijuana is between 15-70 grams, meaning that an individual would have to smoke between 238-1,113 joints over the span of 24 hours in order to overdose. This makes the annual number of marijuana-related deaths around zero. When it comes to automobile-related dangers, driving under the influence of marijuana is still safer than driving drunk. Although it is still unsafe to drive while high, marijuana increases the likelihood of car accidents by 83% while the consumption of alcohol increases the odds by 2,200%. Likewise, both alcohol and marijuana can lead to addiction or dependence. Since both drugs utilize the reward pathway in the brain, releasing ample amounts of dopamine, both can be addictive and affect an individual’s neurochemistry when used chronically–with alcohol use, this is called alcoholism, and in marijuana use, this is labeled as marijuana use disorder. Although it is common among young consumers and popular media to believe that marijuana is non-addictive, this is a false assumption. The National Institute of Health found that in 2016, nearly 6 million people had experienced marijuana use disorder within the past year–approximately 2.5% of adults. The study also reported that 6.3% of individuals had, at some point in their lives, met the diagnostic criteria for marijuana use disorder.

Most commonly, cannabis binds to the CB1 receptors in the brain. Once bound, endocannabinoid activity usually leads to cell apoptosis or cell death. Previous research studies have identified that this action is why marijuana aids in cases of cancer, attacking the cancer cells. We understand that for unknown reasons, cancer cells possess more CB1 receptors, allowing for more binding, and therefore more cell death than other cells with less CB1 receptors. In regards to the reward pathway, the THC in marijuana binds to the nucleus accumbens, activating the pathway. Likewise, alcohol also leads to the activation of the reward pathway, but in a different way. Alcohol promotes GABA, a common inhibitory neurotransmitter, leading to the activation of the ventral tegmental area and release of dopamine. Although some researchers contemplate the ability of alcohol to activate endogenous cannabinoid pathways, the way in which we currently understand alcohol and marijuana to act in the body remains incredibly different–even if they both lead to the activation of the reward pathway. For these reasons, more research needs to be done to compare the two, especially when considering the legalization of both drugs.

Little research has been done to understand the long-term effects of marijuana use. Before it can be determined whether alcohol or marijuana is worse for humans to consume, more research needs to be done. Although our current understanding of both drugs tends to promote the safety of marijuana over alcohol, too many pieces of the story are still unknown. Likewise, the stigma against marijuana use continues to affect our current understanding of the drug.

https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh313/185-195.htm

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-brain-food/201012/alcohol-vs-marijuana-in-the-brain

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/marijuana-use-disorder-common-often-untreated

https://drugabuse.com/marijuana-vs-alcohol/

As you are likely already aware, there is a large controversy surrounding the idea of the use of marijuana in both medical and recreational settings. So what is all the fuss about?

Marijuana contains two main components, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC):

CBD:
CBD is a chemical found in the cannabis plant that has the capability to bind to CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brain. CBD differs most greatly from THC in the fact that it lacks any psychotropic effects, meaning it won’t directly alter your consciousness, mood, or perception. This gives you the medical benefits without the psychoactive effects.

CBD has been found to help with:

• Pain relief
• Anxiety relief
• Inflammation reduction
• Psychosis relief
• Appetite stimulation
• Nausea reduction
• Seizure/convulsion reduction
• Nervous system degeneration prevention
• Muscle spasm suppression
• Blood sugar management
• Psoriasis treatment
• Inhibited cancerous cell growth
• Reduced risk of artery blockage
• Increased bone growth
• Killing or slowing of bacterial growth

CBD is known to have little to no side effects. The only known side effects from use of this chemical are dry mouth and inability of the liver to break down some pharmaceuticals, which shouldn’t be an issue if you substitute CBD for those medications.

THC:
The main action of THC is producing psychotropic effects, and that is a large part of the draw to marijuana in recreational use. THC also offers some medical benefits, but CBD holds the true medicinal capabilities of the plant.

THC can help:

• Relieve pain
• Reduce nausea and vomiting
• Promote sleep
• Treat post-traumatic stress disorder
• Increase appetite
• Decrease inflammation
• Promote relaxation
• Prevent convulsions

The side effects for the use of the chemical THC include the widely known symptoms of anxiety and paranoia.

Medical use:
Both chemicals, though CBD is greatly more medicinal than THC, and prescribed by doctors in states where medicinal marijuana has been legalized. Some argue that this is because of the entourage effect, where the two chemical works better in conjunction with one another. Others argue that the psychotropic effects of THC can be very beneficial in the ability for pain relief. Either way, it is up for you to educate yourself on the subject and create an informed opinion, as your thoughts toward the matter and the use of THC could greatly influence the future of medicine.

CBD vs. THC: Everything You Need To Know About These Beneficial Cannabinoids