Cannabis, Wonder Drug of 21st Century by Jeffrey Dach MD
For original article click here.
Although cannabis was a medicinal plant for thousands of years, its medical use was suppressed and banned throughout most of the 20th century. While banned here in the US, major scientific breakthroughs were made in Israel, Spain, Italy and Brazil. These science breakthroughs have made cannabis the wonder drug of the 21st century.
The Father of Medical Cannabis Research
The greatest cannabis researcher is unquestionably Raphael Mechoulam from Isreal. He discovered THC in 1964, the psycho-active component of cannabis. Mechoulam also discovered the first endogenous endo-cannabinoid in 1992, Anandamide, meaning bliss.
This is his book (see image right).
Above Left Image: Raphael Mechoulam
A Treasure Trove Waiting for Discovery
When asked why he devoted his entire lifetime studying the biochemistry of cannabis, Dr. Raphael Mechoulam said the following: "The three major illicit drugs derived from plants were then (at the beginning of my career), and still are, opium, coca and cannabis. Morphine had been isolated from opium early in the 19th century and structure elucidated in the 1920s by Robert Robinson. Cocaine was isolated from coca leaves in the middle of the 19th century and structure described by Richard Willstatter in the last decade of the 19th century. I believe that the cannabinoids represent a medicinal treasure trove which waits to be discovered."
Just Like the Opiate Receptor Story
In a story very similar to the discovery of opiate receptors in the brain, cannabinoid receptors have been discovered along with their endogenous cannabinoids, representing the largest neurotransmitter system in the brain and immune system. This neurotransmitter system went undetected for decades because it involves an unheard of concept, retrograde transmission, or reversed flow of information from the post synapse to the pre-synapse.
Left Above Image: Cannabis Sativa Leaf courtesy of Wikimedia commons
In the 1970s, Morphine was isolated from the poppy and found to bind to opiate receptors in the brain. Scientists eventually discovered that people make their own opioids, called enkephalins and endorphins. Morphine simply hijacks the receptors for the brain's opioids. It seemed likely that something similar was happening with THC and the cannabinoid receptors in the brain and the immune system. The health implications of the endo-cannabinoid system are staggering. Cannabinoids act as a bioregulatory mechanism for most life processes.
Medical Uses of Cannabinoids:
Relieves Chronic Pain
Reduces need for narcotics in chronic pain or Narcotics Addiction
Anti-Cancer (Breast, Colon, Pancreas, Brain-Glioma)
Relieves Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Phobias
Relieves Nausea and Vomiting associated with Chemotherapy
Improves Appetite in Wasting Syndromes
Relieves Migraine Headache
Relieves Glaucoma
Relieves Bladder incontinence
Used as Anti-convulsant
Used as Anti-depressant
Used as Atypical anti-psychotic
Used for Bi-Polar Syndrome
Used for Multiple Sclerosis, ALS
Timeline for Cannabinoids and Receptor System
2,000 BC to 1,800 AD Medicinal Cannabis used in Ancient China, Egypt, India, ancient Greeks.
800 AD to 1,800 AD Medical Cannabis was used extensively in the medieval Islamic World.
1800-1900 Medical Cannabis commonly used entire world as primary pain reliever until the invention of aspirin.
Left Image: An advertisement for cannabis americana, New York 1917.
1925, England bans cannabis with Dangerous Drugs Act, and non-medicinal cannabis
made illegal in Britain.
1927 Canada bans all forms of cannabis.
1937 Even though there are 28 cannabis pharmaceuticals on the American market, Cannabis banned in US with federal law, the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act.
1964 THC, tetra hydro cannabinol, the psycho-active component of cannabis, isolated by Raphael Mechoulam at Weizmann Institute in Israel.
1970 Marijuana fully outlawed in US by Controlled Substances Act of 1970.
1975 Munson shows anti cancer effects of cannabis in Lewis Lung Tumors.
1980-2000 Cannabis research banned in US (de facto).
1985 FDA approves Marinol drug, a pure THC drug.
1992 First endo-cannabinoid isolated by Hanuš and Devane in Raphael Mechoulam's lab at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. This new substance is named Anandamide.
1990 endo-cannabinoid CB1 receptors cloned and found in brain.
1993 endo-cannabinoid CB2 receptors cloned and found in the immune system.
1998 Di Marzo's in Naples Italy group found that cannabinoids (anandamide) inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation.
1999, Marinol (THC) was rescheduled from Schedule II to III of the Controlled Substances Act,
2000 Guzman's group in Spain found that cannabinoids inhibit the growth of C6 glioma cells.
2005 Sativex approved in Canada. Sativex is a whole cannabis plant extract, mouth spray approved for multiple sclerosis patients to alleviate neuropathic pain and muscle spasticity.
2006 Cannabindiol found useful as anti-psychotic drug São Paulo, Brasil.
2007 Sean D. McAllister - Cannabidiol as a novel inhibitor of Id-1 gene expression in aggressive breast cancer cells.
2008 Acomplia, Rimonabant (also known as SR141716) first CB1 receptor blocker suspended from the UK market because of adverse effects of suicidality, depression. This agent blocks the endo-cannabidiol receptors.
2009 Two components of cannabis plant identified. THC which is psychoactive, and the non-psychoactive Cannabidiol "CBD" represents up to 40% of extracts of the medical cannabis plant. Cannabidiol relieves convulsion, inflammation, anxiety, nausea, and inhibits cancer cell growth. Cannabidiol as effective as atypical antipsychotics in treating schizophrenia.
2009 - 10 million people arrested for marijuana since 1967.
Safety of Marijuana: There has never been a documented human fatality from marijuana. The respiratory depression seen with opiates does not happen with cannabinoids.
Below image: Cannabidiol, the non-psychoactive main medicinal ingredient in Cannabis courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Cannabidiol made by hemp plants, a form of natural medicine.
Anandamide, endogenoud cannabinoid, which is made by the human body.
The active ingredient in cannabis is Cannabidiol, a Schedule I drug in the USA, despite having no psychoactive effects and no known abuse potential. Cannabidiol kills cancer cells, relieves pain, serves as an anti-depressant, and has numerous other medical uses.
On this video (see below) filmed in 2006, Dr. Robert Melamede, Professor of Biology at the University of Colorado, explains how the body's Endo-Cannabinoid system kills cancer cells and inhibits tumor growth. Here is the interview.
A Cancer Cure in the Back Yard Garden, Watch this amazing story below:
What happens when people realize they can grow plants in their own back yard yielding cancer medicine that works? This is story of Rick Simpson, a man from Nova Scotia Canada who did exactly that. He grew hemp in his garden, extracted the hemp oil and rediscovered a medicine that cures cancer. Watch the entire 50 minute movie here .
Reform the Laws, Legalize Medicinal Use of Cannabis
In the US, 14 states that have passed laws legalizing medicinal cannabis. Join the movement to legalize the medicinal use of cannabis. Call or write your congressman today.
Warning and Disclaimer:
Marijuana is an illegal drug in many US states and other countries. It is illegal to grow or possess the marijuana plant, also known as the hemp plant. Even when used as a prescribed medicine, marijuana use may result in arrest, fines or imprisonment. Only use marijuana as a drug if it has been legally prescribed by a licensed physician in a state or country that has legalized the use of medical marijuana.
Links and References: Click Here.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/01/opinion/edgrinspoon.php
Marijuana, the wonder drug by Lester Grinspoon Boston Globe 2007
On this video filmed in 2006, Dr. Robert Melamede, Professor of Biology at the University of Colorado, explains how the body's Endo-Cannabinoid system (and plant based Cannabinoids as supplement) kills cancer cells and inhibits tumor growth. Very interesting approach.
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ja01062a046
Isolation, Structure, and Partial Synthesis of an Active Constituent of Hashish. Y. Gaoni, R. Mechoulam J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1964, 86 (8), pp 1646–1647.April 1964
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/616322
Cancer Biochem Biophys. 1977;2(2):51-4.
In vivo effects of cannabinoids on macromolecular biosynthesis in Lewis lung carcinomas. Friedman MA.
Cannabinoids represent a novel class of drugs active in increasing the life span mice carrying Lewis lung tumors and decreasing primary tumor size. In the present studies, the effects of delta9-THC, delta8-THC, and cannabidiol on tumor macromolecular biosynthesis were studied. These drugs inhibit thymidine-3H incorporation into DNA acutely, but did not inhibit leucine uptake into tumor protein. At 24 h after treatment, cannabinoids did not inhibit thymidine-3H incorporation into DNA, leucine-3H uptake into protein or cytidine-3H into RNA.
http://americanmarijuana.org/Guzman-Cancer.pdf
http://www.nature.com/nrc/journal/v3/n10/abs/nrc1188.html
Nature Reviews Cancer 3, 745-755 (October 2003)
CANNABINOIDS: POTENTIAL ANTICANCER AGENTS by Manuel Guzmán Cannabinoids — the active components of Cannabis sativa and their derivatives — exert palliative effects in cancer patients by preventing nausea, vomiting and pain and by stimulating appetite. In addition, these compounds have been shown to inhibit the growth of tumour cells in culture and animal models by modulating key cell-signalling pathways. Cannabinoids are usually well tolerated, and do not produce the generalized toxic effects of conventional drugs.
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The reader is advised to discuss the comments on these pages with his/her personal physicians and to only act upon the advice of his/her personal physician.Also note that concerning an answer which appears as an electronically posted question, I am NOT creating a physician -- patient relationship. Although identities will remain confidential as much as possible, as I can not control the media, I can not take responsibility for any breaches of confidentiality that may occur.
Link to this article:
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(c) 2009 Jeffrey Dach MD All Rights Reserved
This article may be reproduced on the internet without permission, provided there is a link to this page and proper credit is given.
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This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of issues of significance. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. (c) 2009 Jeffrey Dach MD
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Comments
Thank you for this informative piece on the miracle drug that I credit---with absolutely no fascetiousness---for saving my life. If that sounds too hyperbolic, let me amend it: it has saved my mind.
I am Bipolar II, very slow cycling. 30 years of living like a wounded dog wandering the avenues of life, eyes, ears, and nose to the ground... wanting nothing but to be euthenised, painlessly and without bothering anyone to do it. A few brief periods of hypomania---the only purpose of which, it seems, was to humiliate me and wreck my life for the next stretch of forseeable future.
I haven't smoked very much in my life, but when I have, the effect is nothing less than miraculous. I don't use that word lightly. The insuperable barrier between consciousness and external world is gone...in, well, a puff of smoke. Like it was never there. Like I had dreamed my psychiatric problems. Which in a sense, I have.
For an interesting phenomenological description of a "brain on pot", I'd urge you to see my post, "Getting High Listening to Van Morrison." I'm not pimping here. I think it captures the sheer relief I feel when I understand that I too am granted access to previously forbidden territory: the everyday world of human interaction, the banality and joy from which I was precluded for so long. The flow I could never reach due to quasi-catatonic affect-capacity.
I'm fascinated by this "retrograd transmission". I was wondering if you could briefly elaborate. I am an expert on the phenomenology of cannabis-induced mind states, but not the neurochemistry. (I only found out about the damn endocannibinoid system a few months ago!)
I read a (biased, no doubt) article recently, which suggested that marijuana does not interfere with dopamine reuptake, which I understand to be the "criterion" for addictive substances. I don't have a good picture of exactly what the endocannibinoid system does, or what neurotransmitters are involved. Receptors in the limbic system are key, no?
I think Dr. Mechoulam is onto something when he states (in an interview): "perhaps the function of the endocannibinoid receptors is to modify our emotions, to serve as links which transmit or transfer or translate objective or subjective events INTO perceptions and emotions." If i could parse this sentence better, I feel I'd have an insight...
The point is: cannabis is effective in treating bipolar. At least in this one isolated case. I would not be here if not for it. I would be hospitalized or living in an assisted-care situation. Period.
Best, James Emmerling rated!
But this is not an issue of rational logic and we are a country brought to its knees by the sight of Janet Jackson's nipple. How can you expect us to make an adult decision here?
The comprehensive history, the current research all in one post by an MD. Could not be better...You even mention Dr. Bob Melamede....
THANK YOU!
:D
Gavin Newsom recently intimated on Bill Maher's HBO show that he is investigating a bill that would legalize marijuana in the state, bringing an estimated 1 billion dollars in yearly revenue.
If any proof were needed that the prohibition of cannabis is a conspiracy of the worst kind, it is this - while we are allowed to use opiates to relieve pain, and allowed to eat bagels with poppy seeds, only cannabis is outlawed in every aspect.
Thanks for being on the side of the angels.
I dislike being stoned, but figured it would be a small price to pay in exchange for being able to eat. I took two hits off a joint one morning, and the next thing I knew I had eaten everything in my kitchen. I ended up sitting on the counter, stuffing saltines slathered in orange marmalade in my mouth, and laughing with near-hysterical relief.
In a week I was able to exercise, and in six months weighed 200 lbs at 10% body fat. I think the munchies saved my life.
What I have trouble believing is that the doctor doing all this research actually smokes pot.
What they should study is why pot makes you live with your parents for 40 years and begin every sentence with the word, Dude.
I have to admit, if everyone smoked pot there would be no war. Because no one would ever get off the couch.
Thanks for this well written, informative post, dr.
This is all good news to me as i suffer from lupus.
rated
That said, for once, I agree with you on something. Marijuana deserves more research for its possible medical uses. A synthetic form of TCH is given to AIDs patients for appetite.
Ignoring the medicinal benefits of marijuana, there is still no real case for its illegality. Compare it to alcohol, for instance. Alcohol's deleterious side-effects include dementia, acute toxicity leading to death and liver failure. Marijuana's worse side effects include a higher chance of developing a psychotic disorder and memory problems. There is not a single documented case of an overdose death on marijuana.