Wednesday, December 17, 2014

How Cannabis Treatment Reduces Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms

Cannabis and Multiple Sclerosis

Inflammation in multiple-sclerosis (MS) show positive results with cannabis. Symptoms benefiting from cannabis treatments are muscle spasms, pain, sleep, interocular pressure and incontinence.(Source) MS is a long-term disease that effects the brain, central nervous system and optic nerves. This disease makes the immune system attack a fatty material called myelin. This fatty tissue wraps around the nerve fibers to protect them. The scar tissue of myelin called sclerosis causing inflammation.(Source)

Cannabis has shown to prevent inflammation in the central nervous system. Dr. Ewa Kozela of Tel Aviv University, Israel says "Inflammation is part of the body's natural immune response, but in cases like MS, it gets out of hand". In the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology he shows how cannabis can regulate inflammation.

In Dr. Kozela's study the cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) found in marijuana reduced inflammation associated in MS. The cannabinoids when administered reduced the inflammatory molecules, notably interleukin 17 (IL-17). The researchers say the inflammatory molecule "is strongly associated with MS and very harmful to nerve cells and their insulating covers,". They concluded:

"The presence of CBD or THC restrains the immune cells from triggering the production of inflammatory molecules, and limits the molecules' ability to reach and damage the brain and spinal cord." (Source)

Source:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267161.php

No comments:

Post a Comment