Curing Addiction With Cannabis Medicines

Smokers trying to quit in the future could do it with the help of cannabis based medicines, according to research from The University of Nottingham.

Teams of pharmacologists, studying the cannabis-like compounds which exist naturally in our bodies (endocannabinoids), are exploring the potential for medical treatment. This includes treating conditions as diverse as obesity, diabetes, depression and addiction to substances like nicotine.

Scientists have known about endocannabinoids since the mid-1990s. This led to an explosion in the number of researchers looking into the future medical uses of cannabinoids and cannabis compounds.

Dr Steve Alexander, Associate Professor in the School of Biomedical Sciences, focused on a number of these projects in editing the first themed podcast for the British Journal of Pharmacology.

Dr Alexander said: “It is clear that there is very realistic potential for cannabinoids as medicines. Scientists are looking at a range of possible applications.”

One of these researchers is Professor David Kendall, a cellular pharmacologist at the University: “The brain is full of cannabinoid receptors. And so, not surprisingly with diseases like depression and anxiety, there’s a great deal of interest in exploiting these receptors and in doing so, developing anti-depressant compounds.”

Addiction is a real target researchers like Professor Kendall believe the endocannabinoids could be a crucial link to addictive behaviour: “We know that the endocannabinoid system is intimately involved in reward pathways and drug seeking behaviour. So this tends to indicate that that if the link involving endocannabinoids and the reward pathway, using inhibitors, can be interrupted, it could turn down the drive to seek addictive agents like nicotine.”

Because cannabinoids have also been shown to bring down blood pressure, it is hoped that related compounds can be used in patients with conditions like hypertension.

Dr Michael Randall, a cardiovascular pharmacologist at the University has looked at how endocannabinoids cause blood vessels to relax. “This could have many implications,” Dr Randall said. “The endocannabinoids appear to lower blood pressure under certain conditions; states of shock for example. If the endocannabinoids are of physiological importance, this could have real therapeutic possibilities.”

“In terms of getting better medicines the endocannabinoid system has a lot to offer,” said Dr Alexander. “The range of cannabis-related medicines is currently limited, but by increasing our knowledge in this area we can increase our stock.”

NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY
University Park
Nottingham
NG7 2RD
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/

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Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/99968.php

Main News Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs

Also Appears In: Public Health, Smoking / Quit Smoking,

Blair Anderson
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Ramonabant for ‘Diabetes’ in NZ ?

Ramonobant as a ‘cannabinoid’ blocker. It switches off the same brain circuits that make people hungry when they smoke cannabis.

Studies show that about 30-40% of obese people taking Ramonabant lost more than 5% of their body weight and 10-20% of subjects lost over 10% of their body weight above what they lost on diet alone. Because Ramona acts on the liver as well it had beneficial effects on triglycerides and other fats in the blood. Blood pressure reduction has also been observed with Ramona treatment. Ramona works by blocking an important chemical pathway in the brain known as the endocannabinoid system. Scientists speculate that our body naturally manufactures substances resembling cannabis (marijuana, pot, reefer erc.), which interact with the endocannabinoid system.

The endocannabinoid system not only participates in the control of appetite but is active in many areas of the body including the gastrointestinal tract, mood regulation, bone development, muscle control, blood pressure, adaptation to stress and the reproductive system. (and JimA think’s it’s all about smoking!/Blair)

Several experts such as University of Colorado at Colorado Springs biology professor Dr. Robert Melamede have warned that the long term use of Ramona for weight loss could result in unwanted side-effects involving these other body systems.

In fact, depression is listed as one of the side-effects that may limit Ramonas tolerability occurring in about 3% of obese subjects in a weight loss study. Nausea was another important limiting side-effect. Industry experts speculate that Acomplia may be available for U.S. consumers by this summer but no one knows for sure. Insurance companies in the U.S. will not pay for medications for weight loss. Only a drug that treats a medical illness or condition will be covered by an insurance company. For that reason it is thought that Sanofi-Aventis will approach the FDA for an approval to use Ramona in the treatment of diabetes. This is because many diabetics will see an improvement in their blood sugar as they lose weight and because Ramona may have a direct beneficial effect on glucose and cholesterol regulation, as well.

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