The Medicinal Properties of Cannabinoids

  

Cannabinoid Treatment

  Medicinal properties in the cannabis plant come from cannabinoids. At least 85 different cannabinoids have been isolated in the plant. The most researched cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN).(Source)

     Marijuana users get excited to see a sticky white resin on the flower buds because they contain most of the cannabinoids. They are produced from glandular hairs (trichomes) on the flower. Cannabinoids imitate naturally produced endocannabinoids in our body that maintain health.(Source)

    Cannibinoids interact with one another to provide different medicinal effects. Based on the understanding of cannibinoids, dispensaries like OUTCO administer a variety of cannabis medications. Listed below is the different cannabinoids and their specialized treatments.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – The psycho-active cannabinoid that treats pain, nausea, muscle spasms, anxiety and increases appetite.

Cannabidiol (CBD) – The most beneficial cannabinoid aiding in pain, slowing bacerteria growth, reducing sugar levels, nausea, reducing seizures, inflammation, insomnia, artery blockage, cancer cells\tumors, psoriasis, muscle spasms, anxiety, osteoporosis, increases immunity, spasms in intestine and protecting the nervous system.

Cannabigerolic (CBG) – Reduces bacteria growth, inflammation, cancer cells\tumors, and osteoporosis.

Cannabinol (CBN) – Mildly psycho-active that treats pain, insomnia, and muscle spasms.

Cannabichromene (CBC) – Has been shown to reduce pain including migraines, inflammation, cancer cells\tumors and osteoporosis.

Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCv) – Mildly psycho-active that gives a euphoria and intensifies THC. Known to help with weightloss, reducing seizures, and osteoporosis.

THCa – Known to reduce inflammation, cancer cells\tumors, and muscle spasms.

Cannabigerolic acid (CBGa) – Aquired when consumed raw to reduce pain, inflammation, slow bacteria growth and reduce cancer cells\tumors.(Source)

CGCa – A cannabinoid known to reduce inflammation.

CBCa – Slows bacterial and fungal infection.

CBDa – Reduces cancer cells\tumors and inflammation.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabinoid

http://www.leafly.com/knowledge-center/cannabis-101/cannabinoids-101-what-makes-cannabis-medicine

http://www.420magazine.com/forums/cannabis-facts-information/76763-marijuana-cannabinoids-thc-cbd-cbn.html

http://theleafonline.com/c/science/2014/08/cannabinoid-profiles-crash-course-cbga/

Cannabis and How it Helps Anxiety

 

Cannabis Treatment for Anxiety

  Anxiety is a natural experience for most of us. It makes us feel uneasy, stressed and agitated. When anxiety disables someone from carrying on a normal life, it becomes a disorder.  Cannabis is a safe and natural way to cope with the symptoms of Anxiety Disorder. OUTCOin San Diego is a legally licensed dispensary which provides cannabis for a variety of medical issues, including Anxiety Disorder.

What is an Anxiety Disorder
  Anxiety disorder can occur as a panic, social, phobia or a generalized worry that won't go away. Symptoms include fear, panic, insomnia, quick breath, racing heart, inability to self-sooth, dry mouth, nausea, tense muscles, dizziness, and clammy or numb hands and feet. Environmental stress, heredity, and trauma are factors that contribute to this disorder.

Anxiety and the Brain
  Receptors in the brain that control fear and emotion contribute to the feeling of anxiety.  Prolonged stress can alter the way these nerve cells transmit information leading to a long lasting anxiety disorder.(Source)

  Commonly prescribed drugs to treat anxiety such as Valium and Librium block the GABA receptors. When these receptors are blocked, the body can calm anxiety and fear-based emotions.  Cannabis has been shown to regulate anxiety by blocking the GABA receptor.(Source)

  The CB1 receptor also controls anxiety in the brain functions.  Studies have shown that regulating the CB1 receptor reduces anxiety.(Source) Cannabis has been continually proven to affect the CB1 receptorthrough research studies.(Source) Cannabis regulates mood and anxiety by controlling the CB1 receptors.(source) 

   Sachin Patel, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Psychiatry and Molecular Physiology and Biophysics in Vanderbilt, has been at the forefront of research for the benefits of cannabis relating to brain function. Published in the March 2014 issue of Neuron he writes about endocannabinoids in the amygdala. The amygdala regulates memory, anxiety and the "fight or flight" response in the brain.

   Long term stress and trauma can result in a reduction of endocannabinoids being produced in the amygdala resulting in an increased feeling of anxiety. Light users of marijuana can experience treatment in anxiety by increasing the endocannabinoids needed to regulate the emotion. In contrast, chronic marijuana users reduce the effectiveness of the endocannabioids creating a paradox of an increase in anxiety.(Source) 

   Cannabis regulates the brain function to aid in the treatment of anxiety disorder.  OUTCO dispensary in San Diego has knowledgeable staff that can discuss which options are right for each patient.

Source:
http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/mental-health-anxiety-disorders
http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/d/d_04/d_04_m/d_04_m_peu/d_04_m_peu.html
http://outcoca.blogspot.com/2014/11/how-marijuana-effects-gaba-in-nervous.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23647582
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16148437
http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2014/03/discovery-sheds-new-light-on-marijuana-anxiety-relief-effects/

An Explanation of the Effects of the CB1 and CB2 Receptors

Cannabis has been found to have a direct effect on the cannabinoid receptors system in the brain. These receptors have a direct relation to appetite, pain-sensation, memory and mood. As the largest receptors in the body, they are influenced by ligands, endocannabinoids, phytocannabinoids like cannabis echinacea purpura, and synthetic cannabinoids. Cannabis as well as the endocannabinoids are fat-soluble, or lipophilic. The two known cannabinoid receptors are CB1 and CB2.(Source)

Plants create cannabinoids to help their homeostasis as a plant, having antioxidant properties to protect from UV rays which in turn helps the plant from disease. In animals, antioxidants help to protect as well from UV rays and free radical damage that can result in cancer and disease.(Source)

Interestingly, the marijuana plant also uses THC and other cannabinoids to promote its own health and prevent disease. Cannabinoids have antioxidant properties that protect the leaves and flowering structures from ultraviolet radiation - cannabinoids neutralize the harmful free radicals generated by UV rays, protecting the cells. In humans, free radicals cause aging, cancer, and impaired healing. Antioxidants found in plants have long been promoted as natural supplements to prevent free radical harm.

Cannabinoid receptors effect the G protein coupled receptor family, which are the cause of many diseases, 40% of all modern medicinal drugs target the G protein receptors.(source) The goal of the endocannabinoid system in the body is to maintain homeostatis, or an internal stable environment in the body. (Source)

Important Functions of the Cannabinoid System

There are many important and diverse functions to keep the body in a constant homeostasis. Here are a couple examples:

1. The cannabinoid system deals with autophagy, where a cell self-digests and recycles itself. This process keeps healthy cells healthy and also rids the body of malignant tumor cells having them consume themselves in a cellular suicide.
2. The cannabinoid system reduces pain to injuries. The injured tissue sends activators and sensitizer signals to stop excessive nerve cell firing, calming the sensation and the immune cells to not have them cause an excessive inflammation.
3. The cannabinoid system effects human behavior and mood. The receptors trigger a neuronal placticity, allowing for the brain to be open-minded and able to move beyond common patterns of thought to allow for creativity and aid in social interaction.

CB1 Receptor

CB1 receptors are in the central nervous system of the brain, lungs, liver and kidneys. They are the biggest group of G-coupled receptors in the brain. Cannabinoids effect a reduction of the GABA mediated neurotransmission, which results in an increase of neuron excitability.(Source) They effect memory processing, pain regulation and motor control. (Source)

CB 2 Receptor

CB2 receptors are in the immune system and hematopoietic cells (Blood cells that help create other blood cells found in red bone marrow), white blood cells, tonsils and spleen. This receptor effects the relief of pain, and more research is showing that it effects smooth muscle, fibroblasts and others. The main function of the CB2 receptor is the regulation of cytokine release, which research is looking into the benefit of anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer treatments. (Source) Cytokines signal cells to communicate in immune responses to inflammation, infection and trauma.(Source)

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabinoid_receptor

http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/mdd/v07/i11/html/1104feature_filmore.html

http://norml.org/library/item/introduction-to-the-endocannabinoid-system

http://www.news-medical.net/health/Cannabinoid-Receptors.aspx

http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-are-Cytokines.aspx

The Reason Behind Cannabis and the Munchies

For chemotherapy patients struggling to increase their appetite, marijuana can increase their desire to eat being beneficial. Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC which is the psychoactive part of cannabis has been found to be the factor to increasing appetite. There are a couple studies that show different reasons on why marijuana increases the “munchies”, and it may be a combination of the various factors.

Two studies showed that an increase in hedonic, or pleasurable taste, rather than a motivation to eat was increased with the use of cannabis. With exposure to taste and scent, dopamine is released with encourages the appetite for the food. Once THC is in the blood stream, it has been found to increase dopamine levels.(Source) and (Source)

In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences a research group led by Daniele Piomelli found that marijuana triggers the CB1 receptors in the gut, not the brain, to signal that a fatty food has been ingested. The saying of “You just can't eat one Lay Potato Chip” is correct in that when a fatty food is eaten, intestinal CB1 receptors send a message to the brain to stimulate the creation of endocannabinoids creating a chemical response of hunger increasing your appetite for fatty foods. (Source)

Another study shows how endocannabinoids are responsible for pre and post natal survival. Endocannabinoids are present in cow's milk, soft cheese and breast milk. The research showed that the cannabinoid receptors are stimulated by the cannabinoids in milk to encourage suckling leading to newborn survival. This response may hold a connection in later life to the encouragement of eating.(Source)

Another study showed the THC released the hormone ghrelin, which increases appetite. Both endocabbinoids and ghrelin effect the hypothalamus part of the brain. AMP-activated protein kinase, or AMPK helps regulate cell energy metabolism. THC and ghrelin increase appetite by stimulating the AMPK to allow the hypothalamus sense of food deprivation thereby increasing hunger.(Source)

Recently in February 2014 a study was published in Nature Neuroscience studied the increase in smell with cannabis. The study used the underlying basis that hunger leads to an increase in sensory perception which leads to an increase in food intake. The results in the study with mice showed that odor detection was increased with cannabis due to CB1 receptors affecting the olfactory bulb enhancing the sense of smell. This increased awareness to smell gives in turn the increase to hunger. The mice stayed longer smelling the food and ate more.(Source)

Cannabis and Obesity

Though the study finding show that caloric intake from marijuana goes up with the urge to eat, another study two studies show that marijuana users are one third less likely to be obese and have a lower rate of Type 2 Diabetes.(Source) Read more on this by clicking this link.

Source:

http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v17/n3/full/nn.3647.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705914/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16185725

http://www.jbc.org/content/280/26/25196.full

http://www.pnas.org/content/108/31/12904

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014299904007423

http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/08/24/aje.kwr200.abstract?__hstc=9292970.2e518383c30fe9090ca33584378a6435.1409929942141.1411273921013.1411401471685.9&__hssc=9292970.1.1411401471685&__hsfp=210472818