Cannabinoids in health and disease

Abstract

Cannabis sativa L. preparations have been used in medicine for millenia. However, concern over the dangers of abuse led to the banning of the medicinal use of marijuana in most countries in the 1930s. Only recently, marijuana and individual natural and synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists and antagonists, as well as chemically related compounds, whose mechanism of action is still obscure, have come back to being considered of therapeutic value. However, their use is highly restricted. Despite the mild addiction to cannabis and the possible enhancement of addiction to other substances of abuse, when combined with cannabis, the therapeutic value of cannabinoids is too high to be put aside. Numerous diseases, such as anorexia, emesis, pain, inflammation, multiple sclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders (Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Tourette's syndrome, Alzheimer's disease), epilepsy, glaucoma, osteoporosis, schizophrenia, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, obesity, and metabolic syndrome-related disorders, to name just a few, are being treated or have the potential to be treated by cannabinoid agonists/antagonists/cannabinoid-related compounds. In view of the very low toxicity and the generally benign side effects of this group of compounds, neglecting or denying their clinical potential is unacceptable--instead, we need to work on the development of more selective cannabinoid receptor agonists/antagonists and related compounds, as well as on novel drugs of this family with better selectivity, distribution patterns, and pharmacokinetics, and--in cases where it is impossible to separate the desired clinical action and the psychoactivity--just to monitor these side effects carefully.

Cannabinoid receptor CB1 mediates baseline and activity-induced survival of new neurons in adult hippocampal neurogenesis

“…The recreational use of cannabis is often justified by extrapolation from the unquestionable physiological role of endocannabinoids in brain function [ 1 ], and the successful and beneficial manipulation of the endocannabinoid system for medical purposes [ 2 , 3 ] by plant extracts from cannabis sativa or synthetic agonist and antagonists specific for cannabinoid receptor1 or 2 (CB1, CB2) [ 4 , 5 ]. The abuse of cannabis can be associated with detrimental long-term consequences, for example an increased risk of developing memory impairments [ 6 , 7 ].…”

The multiple functions of the endocannabinoid system: a focus on the regulation of food intake

“…At that time, the fibers obtained from the cannabis stems were mainly used to manufacture textiles and paper [ 1 ]. Moreover, from that time on, cannabis has also been known to have a variety of medicinal effects unrelated to its psychoactive properties, including effects on anorexia, emesis, pain, inflammation and neurodegenerative disorders [ 3 ]. Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Western societies and also the one with the longest recorded history of human use.…”

Inhibition of human tumour prostate PC-3 cell growth by cannabinoids R(+)-Methanandamide and JWH-015: Involvement of CB2

“…Cannabinoids, the active components of Cannabis sativa and their derivatives, exert a wide spectrum of modulatory actions and pharmacological activities in the brain as well as in the periphery, and therefore, the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids has gained much attention during the past few years ( Kogan and Mechoulam, 2007 ). One of the most exciting areas of current research in the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids is cancer.…”