An archaeological and historical account of cannabis in China

Li, Hui-Lin

doi:10.1007/bf02862859

Cited by 300 publications

(221 citation statements)

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“…For millennia, mankind has associated the use of Cannabis sativa and its~100 constituent phytocannabinoids (plant cannabinoids) with therapeutic usefulness, including for neurological disorders such as convulsions and pain [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. However, such traditional use does not constitute valid evidence for the modern medical use of the plant, its extracts or components, and licensed clinical use of cannabis-based medicines remains limited to a small number of disorders such as pain in multiple sclerosis (MS), appetite stimulation in HIV/ AIDS, and cancer chemotherapy [10][11][12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Targets of Cannabidiol in Neurological Disorders

Bih

Chen

Nunn³

et al. 2015

Neurotherapeutics

425

323

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Cannabis has a long history of anecdotal medicinal use and limited licensed medicinal use. Until recently, alleged clinical effects from anecdotal reports and the use of licensed cannabinoid medicines are most likely mediated by tetrahydrocannabinol by virtue of: 1) this cannabinoid being present in the most significant quantities in these preparations; and b) the proportion:potency relationship between tetrahydrocannabinol and other plant cannabinoids derived from cannabis. However, there has recently been considerable interest in the therapeutic potential for the plant cannabinoid, cannabidiol (CBD), in neurological disorders but the current evidence suggests that CBD does not directly interact with the endocannabinoid system except in vitro at supraphysiological concentrations. Thus, as further evidence for CBD's beneficial effects in neurological disease emerges, there remains an urgent need to establish the molecular targets through which it exerts its therapeutic effects. Here, we conducted a systematic search of the extant literature for original articles describing the molecular pharmacology of CBD. We critically appraised the results for the validity of the molecular targets proposed. Thereafter, we considered whether the molecular targets of CBD identified hold therapeutic potential in relevant neurological diseases. The molecular targets identified include numerous classical ion channels, receptors, transporters, and enzymes. Some CBD effects at these targets in in vitro assays only manifest at high concentrations, which may be difficult to achieve in vivo, particularly given CBD's relatively poor bioavailability. Moreover, several targets were asserted through experimental designs that demonstrate only correlation with a given target rather than a causal proof. When the molecular targets of CBD that were physiologically plausible were considered for their potential for exploitation in neurological therapeutics, the results were variable. In some cases, the targets identified had little or no established link to the diseases considered. In others, molecular targets of CBD were entirely consistent with those already actively exploited in relevant, clinically used, neurological treatments. Finally, CBD was found to act upon a number of targets that are linked to neurological therapeutics but that its actions were not consistent withmodulation of such targets that would derive a therapeutically beneficial outcome. Overall, we find that while >65 discrete molecular targets have been reported in the literature for CBD, a relatively limited number represent plausible targets for the drug's action in neurological disorders when judged by the criteria we set. We conclude that CBD is very unlikely to exert effects in neurological diseases through modulation of the endocannabinoid system. Moreover, a number of other molecular targets of CBD reported in the literature are unlikely to be of relevance owing to effects only being observed at supraphysiological concentrations. Of interest and after excludin...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Targets of Cannabidiol in Neurological Disorders

Bih

Chen

Nunn³

et al. 2015

Neurotherapeutics

425

323

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Cannabis sativa probably originates from neolithic China [3]. Cannabis was first used for medicinal purposes in 2737 B.C.…”

Section: Introduction and Historical Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cannabis was first used for medicinal purposes in 2737 B.C. [3,4]. However the exact period of its domestication is unknown.…”

Section: Introduction and Historical Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

Endocannabinoid Systetm: Neuropharmacological Implications

Sharma¹,

Chandel²,

Acharya³

et al. 2016

Med-Science

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“…Despite its multiple uses, C. sativa has been classified as a drug in many countries, a political aspect that has impeded scientific investigation on the plant (Li 1973;Russo 2007). C. sativa belongs to the family Cannabaceae, which is composed of 10 different genera and 100 species (Bell et al 2010).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…C. sativa belongs to the family Cannabaceae, which is composed of 10 different genera and 100 species (Bell et al 2010). The C. sativa plants are windpollinated, usually annual and most individuals are dioecious, but monoecious individuals occur (Li 1973). In addition to the critical functions of the mitochondrion, its genome can reveal important evolutionary patterns.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%