Separating The Therapeutic Benefits Of Cannabis From Its Mood-altering Side-effects

[epilepticme]

Separating The Therapeutic Benefits Of Cannabis From Its Mood-altering Side-effects

Separating The Therapeutic Benefits Of Cannabis From Its Mood-altering Side-effects




ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2007) â?? Scientists from Queen Mary, University of London, have discovered a new way to separate the therapeutic benefits of cannabis from its mood-altering side-effects.
Cannabis contains a chemical called THC, which binds to, and activates, proteins in the brain known as â??CB1 cannabinoid receptorsâ??. Activating these receptors can relieve pain and prevent epileptic seizures; but it also causes the mood-altering effect experienced by people who use cannabis as a recreational drug.
Now, Professor Maurice Elphick and Dr Michaela Egertová from Queen Maryâ??s School of Biological and Chemical Sciences may have found a way of separating out the effects of cannabis â?? a discovery which could lead to the development of new medicines to treat conditions such as epilepsy, obesity and chronic pain. The research is described in the December issue of the journal Molecular Pharmacology.
Working in collaboration with scientists based in the USA*, they have identified a protein that binds to the CB1 receptors in the brain. But unlike THC, this â??Cannabinoid Receptor Interacting Proteinâ?? or CRIP1a, suppresses the activity of CB1 receptors.
Professor Elphick explains: â??Because CRIP1a inhibits the activity of the brainâ??s cannabinoid receptors, it may be possible to develop drugs that block this interaction, and in turn enhance CB1 activity. This may give patients the pain relief associated with CB1 activity, without the â??highâ?? that cannabis users experience.â?�
Leslie Iversen FRS, Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Oxford and author of The Science of Marijuana, commented on the new findings: â??This interesting discovery provides a completely new insight into the regulation of the cannabinoid system in the brain - and could offer a new approach to the discovery of cannabis-based medicines in the future.â?�
â??CB1 Cannabinoid Receptor Activity Is Modulated by the Cannabinoid Receptor Interacting Protein CRIP1aâ?� is published online in the December issue of Molecular Pharmacology.
The Elphick laboratory in the School of Biological & Chemical Sciences at Queen Mary is supported by grants from UK research councils (BBSRC, MRC) and the Wellcome Trust.

epilepticme Reviewed by epilepticme on 08-14-2008. Separating The Therapeutic Benefits Of Cannabis From Its Mood-altering Side-effects Separating The Therapeutic Benefits Of Cannabis From Its Mood-altering Side-effects Separating The Therapeutic Benefits Of Cannabis From Its Mood-altering Side-effects ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2007) â?? Scientists from Queen Mary, University of London, have discovered a new way to separate the therapeutic benefits of cannabis from its mood-altering side-effects. Cannabis contains a chemical called THC, which binds to, and activates, proteins in the brain known as Rating: 5

[foxysox]

You know this is just going to be used to make a 'wonder drug' that conservatives will allow, and help keep green bud illegal... lol

[Storm Crow]

If this turned out to be remarkably bad for you. Remember rimonabant?

From Wiki- "Because the drug has the opposite effects of cannabinoid receptor agonists such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, one of the substances found in marijuana), which is neuroprotective against excitotoxicity,[6] it can be theorized that Rimonabant promotes the development of neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system such as Multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease in persons who are susceptible.[7] The reported development of previously clinically silent multiple sclerosis in one patient taking Rimonabant suggests that any patients with an underlying neurological condition should not take Rimonabant, given the neuroprotective role of the endocannabinoid system in many experimental paradigms of neurological disease.

On 15 June 2007 the BBC News reported [8] that a committee advising the US FDA has voted not to recommend the drug's approval because of concerns over suicidality, depression and other related side effects associated with use of the drug."

Oh those "chemical wonders"!

And frankly, I don't find "getting high" to be that "adverse" of a side effect!
Mama Nature knows best! And we "smart monkeys" seem to get into all sorts of troubles when we try to fool her!


Granny:hippy:

[GreenDestiny]

And frankly, I don't find "getting high" to be that "adverse" of a side effect!
Mama Nature knows best! And we "smart monkeys" seem to get into all sorts of troubles when we try to fool her!

exactly what I was thinking. There's a reason why whole medicines are healthier than isolated chemicals or things like this which inhibits part of the effects.

[stinkyattic]

Mama Nature knows best! And we "smart monkeys" seem to get into all sorts of troubles when we try to fool her!

Maybe we're not all that smart after all... just enough to be dangerous...

[Mcnizzlebery]

There's a reason why whole medicines are healthier than isolated chemicals or things like this which inhibits part of the effects.

Yeah i agree, whole medicines have been naturally mixed together. Why try to break that bond and loose all the good stuff.