"CBD & Seizures in Lennox–Gastaut syndrome"

 

Researchers provide further evidence that the cannabis compound, CBD, is effective at reducing seizures in people with epilepsy.

The new study reveals CBD significantly reduced seizures in people with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Previously, the researchers demonstrated CBD was effective at seizure control in Dravet syndrome.

Cannabidiol (CBD), a compound derived from the cannabis plant that does not produce a “high” and has been an increasing focus of medical research, was shown in a new large-scale, randomized, controlled trial to significantly reduce the number of dangerous seizures in patients with a severe form of epilepsy called Lennox–Gastaut syndrome.

In the new study comparing 2 doses of CBD to a placebo, the researchers reported a -41.9% reduction in “drop seizures” (a type of seizure that results in severe loss of muscle control and balance) in patients taking a 20 mg/kg/d CBD,
-a 37.2 percent reduction in those on a 10 mg/kg/d CBD and
-17.2 percent reduction in a group given a placebo.

“This new study adds rigorous evidence of cannabidiol’s effectiveness in reducing seizure burden in a severe form of epilepsy and, importantly, is the first study of its kind to offer more information on proper dosing,”
says Dr. Devinsky.

"Cannabinoids & Glioblastoma Therapy"

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant brain tumor and one of the deadliest types of solid cancer overall. More than 95% of GBM patients die within 5 years after diagnosis. Accumulating evidence indicates that cannabinoids have potent anti-tumor functions.

Glioblastoma...

Half of newly-diagnosed gliomas are glioblastomas (GBMs), with an incidence in adults of 0.59 3.69 cases per 100,000 person life-years. Primary GBM occur more commonly in male patients whereas the reverse is the case for secondary GBM. The mean age of primary and secondary G BM patients is 62 and 45 years, respectively (Adamson et al., 2009).

Cannabinoids...

The term cannabinoids originally described bioactive constituents of the plant Cannabis sativa. The cannabis ingredients were used traditionally for their medicinal purpose but also for their recreational properties. Most of the cannabinoids bind to G-protein coupled cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, and act as agonists or inverse agonists.

"The Effectivenes of Medicinal Cannabis in Adults with Non-Cancer Diagnoses"

This research conducted through a retrospective medical record review aimed to describe the characteristics and effectiveness of medicinal cannabis use in adults with non-cancer diagnoses in Australia. 

People with chronic conditions may benefit from using medicinal cannabis for treating chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and other conditions. 

The study reviewed 157 medical records, with the majority of patients were predominantly female (63.7%), aged 63.0 years, and from the Greater Sydney region (86.6%). Most patients were born in Australia (66.9%) , with 17.8% stating previous cannabis use and having neurological (58.0%) or musculoskeletal (24.8%) conditions.

The findings showed that 53.5% of patients perceived medicinal cannabis to be beneficial. Significant changes over time were observed in various symptom assessments, including pain, bowel problems, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, mood, quality of life (QoL), breathing problems, and appetite.

"The use of Medical Cannabis for Treating Cancer Related Symptoms in Oncology Patients"

Many comorbidities are associated with oncology diseases. In cancer, the associated symptoms include pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia, decreased in quality of life, increased disability and negative effects on sexuality.

These symptoms are some of the most fundamental causes of suffering and disability for oncology patients while undergoing therapies, and some may even lead to worse prognosis.

Traditionally, cancer-related pain is mainly treated by opioid analgesics but a promising substitute for opioid-based medication is Medical Cannabis (MC) and Cannabinoid treatment for cancer-related pain is generally recognized as safe!

Despite the fact that there is a knowledge gap in the study of Cannabis, especially for treating cancer-related pain, a 2020 study showed that most cancer patients requested MC treatment from their oncologist.

The Adverse Effects (AEs) from cannabinoids for cancer treatment are generally well tolerated by the patients and categorized as mild to moderate and the most frequent AEs are memory impairment, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting and xerostomia (dry mouth).

The Study...

This long-term study was conducted between January 2019 and September 2021 in Israel and pulished in Frontiers in Pain Research on 20 May 2022.

The institutional Ethics Committee of Haemek Medical Center and Galil Medical Center also approved the study.

Researchers conducted a multi-center, prospective, 6-month longitudinal study that followed up on the effectiveness and safety parameters of MC treatment for cancer-associated symptoms.

"Grant funds to researchers who are studying cannabis treatment for cancer"

The purpose of this Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) is to promote research in understanding the mechanisms by which cannabis and cannabinoids affect cancer biology, cancer interception, cancer treatment and resistance, and management of cancer symptoms.

The "National Institutes of Health" (NIH) is prepping to grant funds to researchers who are studying cannabis treatment for cancer and will soon be available to researchers who are working to treat cannabis. 

Within the US, many states have permitted the use of cannabis products, but state policies vary widely regarding the types of products allowed and for what purpose they may be used. Concurrently, the delivery methods of cannabis have diversified and now include edibles, oils, tinctures, topicals and inhaled forms. 

Cancer patients use cannabis and cannabinoids to manage symptoms of cancer and cancer treatment including anorexia, nausea, and pain. Recent survey evidence suggests that a quarter of cancer patients have used cannabis for symptom management. Despite the increase in cannabis and cannabinoid use, research about their health effects, including potential harms and benefits, remain limited.

"Cannabidiol as effective as antipsychotic meds with fewer side effects".

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects a person’s ability to think, feel, and behave clearly. 

It can cause psychotic episodes, and treatment is usually lifelong and involves antipsychotic medications with toxic side effects.

In 2012, researchers published a study in Translational Psychiatry showing that a CBD isolate can treat schizophrenia as effectively as antipsychotic pharmaceuticals — and with far fewer side effects.

In this study, researchers led by Markus Leweke, MD, of the University of Cologne in Germany recruited 39 people with schizophrenia who were hospitalized for a psychotic episode.

"GPR55 The third Cannabinoid Receptor (CB3)"

Finding the CB3 receptor could mean huge medical advancements for cannabis medicine.Originally called GPR55 after the gene that encodes it, the CB3 receptor is an exciting discovery for science. It is now clear this receptor is part of the Endocannabinoid System and interacts with endocannabinoids and phtyocannabinoids like THC and CBD.

Every animal, have an Endocannabinoid System. Cannabinoid receptors are found throughout the body. But where has CB3 been hiding? Well, turns out it hasn’t exactly been hiding. It’s more like researchers didn’t connect it to endocannbinoid activity before now.

Firstly, the two most researched receptors are CB1 and CB2. While CB1 receptors are prominent in the central nervous system, and CB2 receptors typically reside in the immune system. CB3 receptors were incognito, previously identified as GPR55. At first, science didn’t know that this receptor even accepted cannabinoids.

The CB3 receptor stayed hidden from scientists because it’s so unlike the other cannabinoid receptors. It only shares 13% of amino acid identity with them. It simply doesn’t look like it would react with cannabis, so scientists on the hunt for new cannabinoid receptors passed over it for years. This designation means that while the receptor had been found, science doesn’t yet know what activated that receptor.

When CB3 was first discovered in 1999, many doubted it was a cannabis receptor. It wasn’t until real proof came along years later that medical researchers accepted that GPR55 was indeed the 3rd Cannabinoid Receptor.

"Alcohol, Not Cannabis, Associated with Violent Behaviors in Psychotic Patients"

The consumption of alcohol, but not cannabis, is associated with an increased likelihood of impulsiveness and violent behavior among subjects with schizophrenic spectrum disorders, according to data published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.

The link between substances of abuse, impulsivity, and violence in psychotic patients remains unclear but a team of Canadian and Italian investigators assessed the relationship between the use of alcohol and cannabis on psychotic, impulsive, and violent behavior in a cohort of subjects diagnosed with either schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders

The term "psychotic disorder" refers to a person's thought dysfunction and is often described as "the patient's loss of contact with reality."

This study aims at unraveling whether cannabis use disorder is associated with violent and/or psychotic behavior in patients who where hospitalized in a high-security hospital.

"Use of CBD in the Treatment of Epilepsy: Efficacy and Security in Clinical Trials"

CBD has received a great scientific interest thanks to its medical applications. 

In recent years, the scientific community has shown interest in this compound also due to its good safety profile and neuroprotective properties  in several neurodegenerative diseases.

CBD also generating interest due to its therapeutic properties such as antidepressant, antipsychotic, analgesic, and antitumor. 


In addition, it has been shown that CBD can significantly reduce two important forms of anxiety, namely obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

CBD shows anti-inflammatory properties in several experimental studies, modulating some pro-inflammatory cytokines and tumor necrosis factor as well as regulation of cell cycle and immune cells’ functions

Moreover, for a long time, the CBD has been investigated for its anticonvulsant effects. Several studies confirmed its efficacy in the treatment of epileptic seizures, especially in pediatric age. In 2016, the first results of  clinical trials showed beneficial effects of CBD in treatment-resistant seizure disorders, including Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) and Dravet syndromes (DS).

The purpose of this paper wich published in  12 April 2019 from the 'Molecules Open Access Journals' is to evaluate the use of CBD, in addition to common anti-epileptic drugs, in the severe treatment-resistant epilepsy through an overview of recent literature and clinical trials aimed to study the effects of the CBD treatment in different forms of epilepsy. 

The results of scientific studies obtained so far the use of CBD in clinical applications could represent hope for patients who are resistant to all conventional anti-epileptic drugs.

"Study Concluded That CBD Can Help With The Reduction of Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation, Invasion and Metastasis"

The process of metastasis to other tissues of the body is the final and fatal step during cancer progression and is the least understood genetically. 

Despite all currently available treatments, breast cancer is most often incurable once clinically apparent metastases develop.

There is a general consensus in the field of cancer research that targeting multiple pathways that control tumor progression is the best strategy for the eradication of aggressive cancers

It is well known that CBD can modulate specific functions of the immune system and the immune system has an important role in the inhibition of cancer progression.

It was essential to determine whether CBD demonstrates antitumor activity and since CBD has a low toxicity, it would be an ideal candidate for use in combination treatments with additional drugs already used in the clinic. 

"Study Reveals That CBD Reduces Blood Pressure After One Dose"

Preclinical studies show CBD has numerous cardiovascular benefits, including a reduced Blood Pressure (BP) response to stress.

The aim of this study from scientists at Nottingham University was to investigate if and how CBD reduces Blood Pressure (BP) in humans.

In June 2017, scientists at Nottingham University published the research they had conducted earlier in the year. Nine healthy male volunteers were given 600 mg of CBD or placebo in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study.

CBD was administered in a singular dose after which the research team monitored changes in blood pressure, stroke volume (the measurement of blood that is pumped from the heart’s left ventricle) and heart rate.

All of the study’s participants took part in an exercise test and another stress test using cold temperatures. This allowed researchers to measure cardiac responses under different circumstances.

"Cannabis and Breast Cancer"

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Every October, people all over the world show their support for everyone affected by breast cancer.Worldwide, breast cancer is the leading type of cancer in women, accounting for 25% of all cases. It is more common in developed countries and is more than 100 times, more common in women than in men.

Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a red or scaly patch of skin. In those with distant spread of the disease, there may be bone pain, swollen lymph nodes, shortness of breath, or yellow skin.

Patient surveys have provided important insights about how people use medical cannabis. About 42% of people diagnosed with breast cancer who completed a survey for breastcancer.org said that they used medical cannabis products to manage breast cancer symptoms or treatment side effects. People who used medical cannabis ranged in age, cancer stage, and treatment phase, and most of them they found it to be “very” or “extremely” helpful.(75%)

"Cannabis and Cancer"

Cancer is the holy grail of medical research and it’s the most-coveted breakthrough of our time. (and the most profitable disease). 

If we could discover a way to prevent malignant cells from effect in the human body, not only would we save millions of lives, but we would end years of suffering and, we could finally feel superior from this illness.

But, is Cannabis a way that we can achive this?

Studies, so far, show that cannabis can kill all types of cancer cells, reduce angiogenesis and prevent from metastasis

One Treatment Doesn’t Fit All...

Cancer isn’t just one thing. It’s an umbrella term for a collection of related illnesses. What unites these is the method of mayhem: cancer divides and spreads like ants at a picnic. And because it’s not just one kind of ant, we’ve developed slightly different ways to deal with each species.

Standard cancer treatment must be adapted to the type and location of tumor. When cancer infects the brain, we can’t necessarily handle it the way we would handle cancer in the stomach. Even if the same treatments would effective at stopping the cancer, the collateral damage to brain cells is just too risky.

Although human trials and solid scientific research are still a ways off, early studies indicated that cannabis might be the one truly universal way to kill cancer cells and while chemotherapy and radiation have certainly helped humanity’s battle against cancer, research into the endocannabinoid system keeps new information about how cannabis can to prevent tumors to form, spread and turn deadly.

"Prescription of a THC/CBD-Based Medication to Patients with Dementia: A Pilot Study in Geneva"

Dementia is characterized by a deterioration in memory, thinking, behavior, and autonomy in daily life activities. 

According to the World Health Organization, there were around 50 million persons worldwide suffering from dementia and this number is increasing with the global aging of the population in most countries. 

Currently, the options for treating BPSD (Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia) include pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies. Psychotropic medications are often used to reduce the frequency and severity of BPSD, but in the majority of patients, they provide only modest symptom control and important side effects.

The interest of cannabinoids in Alzheimer disease and other forms of dementia has increased first as neuroprotective drugs in animal studies. Indeed, some studies suggest a potential beneficial effect of CB1 and CB2 receptor agonists on reducing harmful β-amyloid peptide action and tau phosphorylation seen in Alzhei­mer disease as well as increasing intrinsic brain repair mechanisms.

"Cannabis & Chemotherapy Side Effects"

When it comes to chemotherapy, medical cannabis is primarily used to treat the common side effects including nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and pain. 

Here’s what you need to know about how medical cannabis can support you or a loved one during chemo. 

The 2 majors cannabinoids THC & CBD have shown to effectively reduce the nausea and vomiting that often occurs during and after chemotherapy treatments.

For example, THC seems to cause the "high" reported by marijuana users, and also can help relieve pain and nausea, reduce inflammation, and can act as an antioxidant.

Cannabidiol (CBD) can help treat seizures, can reduce anxiety and paranoia, and can counteract the "high" caused by THC.

In this point, you will allow me to emphasize that the researches about cannabis & chemotherapy so far suggests that it is the synergy of all cannabinoids together that has the greatest results for patients but lets see what the experts say about it...

"Cannabis & Chronic Wounds"

A chronic wound is a wound that does not heal in an orderly set of stages and in a predictable amount of time. 

Wounds that do not heal within 3 months are often considered as 'Chronic Wound'.

Chronic wounds seem to be detained in one or more of the phases of wound healing.For example, chronic wounds often remain in the inflammatory stage for too long. To overcome that stage and jump-start the healing process a number of factors need to be addressed such as bacterial burden, necrotic tissue, and moisture balance of the whole wound.

Chronic wounds may never heal or may take years to do so. These wounds cause patients severe emotional and physical stress and create a significant financial burden on patients and the whole healthcare system.

Most therapists may use topical antibiotics, which kill bacteria and can also help by keeping the wound environment moist, which is important for speeding the healing of chronic wounds. Some researchers have experimented with the use of tea tree oil, an antibacterial agent which also has anti-inflammatory effects.

The ideal methods of pain relief for wound patients are modalities that are topical, lack systemic side effects, noninvasive (not requiring the introduction of instruments into the body), self-administered, and display rapid onset of analgesia.

Extracts derived from the cannabis plant have been applied to wounds and other dermatological problem for thousands of years...

"Cannabis & Alzheimer's Desease"

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological disorder of unknown origin that is characterized by a progressive loss of memory and learned behavior. For both patients and their loved ones, Alzheimer’s Disease ranks among the most challenging conditions one can experience.

This chronic neurodegenerative disorder leads to progressive symptoms including dementia, memory loss, emotional issues, and speech problems, among others. Few treatments exist and available therapies only address some symptoms, but not the progression of the disease itself.

The search for new therapeutic options has led to significant interest in cannabis-based treatments and researchers are currently working to advance our understanding of the possible roles medical cannabis could play in the future of Alzheimer’s treatment.

Preclinical data shows the potential of cannabinoids to moderate the progression of AD while clinical data demonstrates that these compounds can provide symptom relief, but lets take a look in what 10 studies says about it...

"Cannabis and Fibromyalgia"

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues.

Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way our brain process the painful and nonpainful signals.

They believe that the repeated nerve stimulation causes the brain and spinal cord of people with fibromyalgia to change.This change involves an abnormal increase in levels of certain chemicals in the brain that signal pain.

In addition, the brain's pain receptors seem to develop a sort of memory of the pain and become sensitized, meaning they can overreact to painful and nonpainful signals.

Fibromyalgia often co-exists with other conditions, such as:

-Irritable bowel syndrome

-Chronic fatigue syndrome

-Migraine and other types of headaches

-Interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome

-Temporomandibular joint disorders

-Anxiety

-Depression

-Postural tachycardia syndrome

Many people with fibromyalgia are turning to the Medical Cannabis or in a CBD oil to treat chronic pain, anxiety and sleep deprivation or insomnia. Cannabis has properties that are known to help certain symptoms of fibromyalgia but lets see what the studies have to say about it...

"CBD & Liver Disorders"

Probably you'll have heard about an article in Forbes,  with title "CBD can cause liver damage"... 

Actually the article claims that CBD “could be damaging our livers in the same way as alcohol and other drugs." ... the evidense was taken by a study from researchers at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock.

Of course, they never mention that the drug that the researchers used was the EPIDIOLEX, wich is a prescription medicine that is used to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome in patients 2 years of age and older. 

Also the doses was extremely higher than the normal (20mg/kg)...

"Animals were gavaged with either 0, 246, 738, or 2460 mg/kg of CBD or with daily doses of 0, 61.5, 184.5, or 615 mg/kg for 10 days. A dose of 246 mg/kg was chosen as an initial dose as this is a MED analogous to those used in recent clinical trials (MED of 20 mg/kg CBD). 

Subsequently, researchers used doses of 738 and 2460 mg/kg CBD as 3× and 10× doses, respectively. Finally they demonstrated that CBD, when delivered orally to mice in the form of a concentrated CBD-enriched Cannabis extract, has the potential to cause liver injury...

So, on the basis of such an inaccurate article, we thought about doing our own research on CBD and the potential benefits it may have to the liver-related diseases...

"New Studies Reveals That Cannabis Helps PTSD Patients"

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that can develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic event.

This debilitating condition causes chronic problems like nightmares, panic attacks, hypervigilance, detachment from others, overwhelming emotions, and self-destructive behavior.

Unfortunatelly these overwhelming symptoms can even lead to suicide.

The current method of treating PTSD is to medicate the symptoms, not to actually treat the patient. In fact, many of the medications prescribed do the opposite and suppress the brain’s natural healing functions.

Because of this, many PTSD patients are stuck in a cycle: take pills, feel sedated, stop taking pills, then feel alive until the massive hammer of symptoms comes back. This is why we see so many veterans taking their own lives – not to mention the number of first responders who are suffering and who rarely get discussed.

Many PTSD patients have been saying for years that cannabis helps with their PTSD.

 

Previous research has shown that cannabis has the potential to reduce anxiety, or even prevent heightened anxiety in threatening situations. But up to this point, no studies had investigated this response in adults dealing with trauma - such as those with PTSD. 

Two new studies point to the way that cannabinoids may help treat PTSD. One shows how cannabis can reduce activity in the amygdala (part of the brain associated with fear responses to threats) andd the other suggests that the plant’s cannabinoids could play a role in extinguishing traumatic memories. Both effects could be therapeutic for those suffering from PTSD - according to those studies.