Tribute to Professor Raphael Mechoulam, The Founder of Cannabinoid and Endocannabinoid Research

During the last 60 years the relevance for human health and disease of cannabis (Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica) ingredients, like the psychoactive compound Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol, 120+ cannabinoids and 440+ non-cannabinoid compounds, has become apparent [...]

Neurological behaviour of albino rats treated separately and in combination with Cannabis sativa L. and Cannabis indica L.

There has been an increasing rate of cannabis consumption globally, especially among the youths. This study therefore evaluated the neurological behaviours and some brain marker hormones and enzymes of cannabis administered rats. Twenty six albino rats were divided into four groups based on oral cannabis administration (control, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica and the combination of the two). At the end of seven days, open field test was conducted on the rats. Also, brain neuro-chemicals, activities of antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation were evaluated using spectrophotometry. The results of the Open-Field Test showed an appreciable increase in the level of ambulation (line crossing), grooming, urination and stretched attend posture in the rats administered with Cannabis indica, Cannabis sativa and the combination when compared with the control. Norepinephrine was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the rat groups administered with the combination of Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa. The control group however had the lowest dopamine level. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the rats administered the combination of both Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa. The brain level of reduced glutathione (GSH) was significantly higher in the rats administered with Cannabis indica. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly higher in the rats administered with Cannabis sativa than the other rat groups. Histopathological evaluation of the brain also revealed various damages in the brain cells of rats administered with cannabis compared to the normal brain structure of the control rats. It is thus said that consumption of C. sativa or C. indica alone produced mild effect on the brain cells and physiology in rats. However, combination of C. sativa and C. indica produced a severe synergistic effect on the neurological function of the exposed rat.

Epilepsy and cannabidiol - a new perspective for seizures treatment

BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that the number of antiepileptic drugs is constantly increasing, epilepsy can still be a therapeutic challenge. Approximately one-third of patients with epilepsy have persistent seizures refractory to treatment. The limited number of effective alternatives motivates researchers to seek new solutions. There is some hope for cannabidiol (CBD) preparations.AIM OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study was to review the most recent available literature on the use of cannabidiol in the treatment of refractory epilepsy in children and adults. For this purpose, the PubMed and Google Scholar databases were reviewed. The phrase "cannabidiol and epilepsy" was used to search the database. After Screening titles and abstracts a total of 19 papers and articles cited in them were received and analyzed in detail. RESULTS: Nowadays there are many CBD related products available in the market, Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica are the plants used due to their strong therapeutic effects and also seizure control. Regulations regarding the use of raw marijuana, cannabis extracts, and cannabinoid-based drugs vary from place to place. Many studies have been generated on the efficacy of cannabinoid therapy in the treatment of epilepsy. This therapy in patients with Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gaust syndrome results in a reduction in the frequency of motor and total seizures. The most commonly reported side effects of CBD are drowsiness, seizures and diarrhea, but the therapy is generally well tolerated.SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS: Many available studies support the efficacy of CBD as a treatment option to reduce seizure frequency in children with drug-resistant epilepsy, particularly in patients with Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. However, there is a lack of reports on the use of CBD in the adult population, which may be an area for further research.

Selective cannabis strain allergy in a patient presenting with a local allergic reaction

Background Cannabis use is growing domestically due to recent legalization in many jurisdictions. There are two main species of cannabis, Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica, and thousands of different commercially available cannabis strains. Although there are multiple reports of cannabis allergy in the literature, to our knowledge, there is no prior published report of selective cannabis strain allergy. Case presentation A 31-year-old male was referred for allergy assessment due to several episodes of localized pruritus and erythema after direct contact with various strains of cannabis. He had noted that the severity of his reaction appeared to be strain dependent. He developed a severe local reaction involving bilateral periorbital edema shortly after coming into direct contact with one particular strain of cannabis. He denied any adverse symptoms after inhalation of cannabis. Fresh skin prick testing was performed to various strains of cannabis and had positive testing to the three of the five tested strains. Conclusions We believe this is the first reported case of selective cannabis strain allergy based on patient history and skin prick testing. This case report outlines the variability in different strains of cannabis and stresses the importance of further research into cannabis allergen identification. Multiple cannabis allergens should be included and incorporated into commercial extracts when they become routinely available.

The Not-So-Perfect Remedy

“But nobody ever died from an overdose of marijuana” has become one of the rallying cries of those who support legalization of marijuana for the treatment of chronic pain and a plethora of other disorders. There is little doubt that the Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica plants produce substances that may well have medicinal value. However, much is yet to be learned. The endocannabinoid system, like the plants themselves, is very complex. Hemp oil and cannabidiol are flooding the market. Unregulated by any federal agencies, the claims and labeling are often unsupported and misleading, if not false. The issue of medical marijuana is here to stay. The clinician treating patients with chronic pain needs to become familiar with the nuances of these products and recognize that they are not without side effects and drug-drug interactions.

HEMATOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF CANNABIS SATIVA INDICA LEAVES ON WISTAR RATS

Cannabis indica has widely reported traditional uses which include its use for stimulation and purification of platelets as well as body defense. Experiments were carried out to assess the impact of Cannabis indica leaf extract on hematological parameters of wistar rats. The results revealed that the extract (10–100 mg/kg p.o.) produced no significant change in the packed cell volume, haemoglobin, red blood cell count, total leucocyte count, monocyte, basophil, eosinophil, bleeding time and clotting time. Platelet count was significantly (P<0.05) increased at the dose of 100 mg/kg p.o. The results did not support the traditional use of the plant leaf for stimulation of blood production. It however showed improvement of non-specific immune responses involving phagocytosis and inflammation.

Phytocannabinoids and endocannabinoids: different in nature

Cannabis is one of the earliest cultivated plants, of which Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica are the most widespread and best characterized species. Their extracts contain (phyto)cannabinoids (pCBs) of therapeutic interest, such as Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, along with many other compounds, so that there is no “one cannabis” but several mixtures even from the same plant. This complexity is mirrored, or even exceeded, by the complexity of the molecular targets that pCBs find in our body, most of which belong to the so-called “endocannabinoid (eCB) system”. Here, we describe the major pCBs and the main components of the eCB system to appreciate their differences and mutual interactions, as well as the potential of using pCB/eCB-based drugs as novel therapeutics to treat human diseases, both in the central nervous system and at the periphery. Moreover, we address the question of the evolution of pCBs and eCBs, showing that the latter compounds were the first to appear in nature, and that the former substances took a few million years to mimic the three-dimensional structures of the latter, and hence their biological activity in our body. Graphic abstract

Pharmacological Evaluation of Cannabis indica For Their Aphrodisiac Potential

Objective: The plant Cannabis indica is a very popular and well known plant across the globe since thousands of years. In India also it is even more popular as bhang or marijuna from ancient time. A quite descriptions of this plant is written in various ancient books like the granths, vedas, puranas, ayurvedic books, dravyaguna, etc.. Number of medicinal properties have been described for different parts of the plant like flower buds(Ganja), Leaf(Bhang) & Leaf wax(Charas). All the parts of this plant have potent and complex psychotropic properties along with some additional therapeutic actions on different body systems. Here we have fond some opportunities to evaluate herbal extracts of leaves for having aphrodisiac potential. Method: The aphrodisiac activity of Cannabis indicaleaf extracts (Pet.ether, methenol & aqueous) were evaluated in male albino rats. Extracts were administered at a dose of 150mg/kg body weight. At a interval of 0,7,14,21 & 28 day several sexual behavior parameters were determined. At the end serum testosterone and FSH level were also determined. Results: This study also contributes to the pharmacology of aphrodisiacs as the plant Cannabis indica leaf extracts has significant effects on sexual physiology. It has shown effects on sexual behaviors as well as significant change in gonadotropin hormone labels in animal blood serum. Conclusion: This study provides a strong experimental evidence for its aphrodisiac use.

NARKOTIKA (NARKOBA)

Di beberapa negara tumbuhan ini tergolong narkotika, walau tidak terbukti bahwa pemakainya menjadi kecanduan, berbeda dengan obat-obatan terlarang yang berdasarkan bahan kimiawi dan merusak sel-sel otak, yang sudah sangat jelas bahayanya bagi umat manusia. Di antara pengguna ganja, beragam efek yang dihasilkan, terutama euphoria (rasa gembira) yang berlebihan, serta hilangnya konsentrasi untuk berpikir di antara para pengguna tertentu.Efek negatif secara umum adalah bila sudah menghisap maka pengguna akan menjadi malas dan otak akan lamban dalam berpikir. Namun, hal ini masih menjadi kontroversi, karena tidak sepenuhnya disepakati oleh beberapa kelompok tertentu yang mendukung medical marijuana dan marijuana pada umumnya. Selain diklaim sebagai pereda rasa sakit, dan pengobatan untuk penyakit tertentu (termasuk kanker), banyak juga pihak yang menyatakan adanya lonjakan kreatifitas dalam berfikir serta dalam berkarya (terutama pada para seniman dan musisi.Berdasarkan penelitian terakhir, hal ini (lonjakan kreatifitas), juga di pengaruhi oleh jenis ganja yang digunakan. Salah satu jenis ganja yang dianggap membantu kreatifitas adalah hasil silangan modern “Cannabis indica” yang berasal dari India dengan “Cannabis sativa” dari Barat, dimana jenis Marijuana silangan inilah yang merupakan tipe yang tumbuh di Indonesia.Efek yang dihasilkan juga beragam terhadap setiap individu, dimana dalam golongan tertentu ada yang merasakan efek yang membuat mereka menjadi malas, sementara ada kelompok yang menjadi aktif, terutama dalam berfikir kreatif (bukan aktif secara fisik seperti efek yang dihasilkan Methamphetamin). Marijuana, hingga detik ini, tidak pernah terbukti sebagai penyebab kematian maupun kecanduan. Bahkan, di masa lalu dianggap sebagai tanaman luar biasa, dimana hampir semua unsur yang ada padanya dapat dimanfaatkan untuk berbagai keperluan. Hal ini sangat bertolak belakang dan berbeda dengan efek yang dihasilkan oleh obat-obatan terlarang dan alkohol, yang menyebabkan penggunanya menjadi kecanduan hingga tersiksa secara fisik, dan bahkan berbuat kekerasan maupun penipuan (aksi kriminal) untuk mendapatkan obat-obatan kimia buatan manusia itu