Cannabidiol (CBD): Fighting Inflammation and Aggressive Cancer
Cannabis contains at least 60 known chemicals called Cannabinoids, which naturally activate the Cannabinoid receptors in the human body.
Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC is the main ingredient responsible for the psychoactive effects and due to the “high” of Cannabis.
While THC is known to have some medicinal value, there has been recent research on a new Cannabinoid that is rumored to have more benefits than any drug on the market.
What is cannabidiol (CBD)?
This Cannabinoid is known as Cannabidiol (CBD), and is the second most abundant Cannabinoid in Cannabis. The research done by G.W. Pharmaceuticals suggests that CBD could be used to treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, nausea, bowel disorders, and many other difficult conditions. According to an article by Projectcbd.com, CBD has been shown to have neuroprotective effects while its anti-cancer properties are being investigated.
While THC was originally thought to be a breakdown product of CBD, it is now known that both THC and CBD are actually metabolites of their decarboxylated acid forms, THCa and CBDa. These acidic precursors are decarboxylated (substantially dried) by heat or extraction to produce THC and CBD and only then become psychoactive. The compound has medicinal benefits, without the “high” that some patients do not want. This makes CBD attractive to patients who are looking for an alternative to their current medications, which often have opiate-like effects.
“After years of growers aiming to boost THC levels in their crops, many growers are now focusing on producing varieties rich in CBD, due to growing demand from pharmaceutical users.”
Cannabidiol is also known to treat some of the effects of THC, such as increased appetite. Just as THC increases appetite, CBD suppresses it, which could be ideal for patients who are watching their weight. CBD could be a key ingredient in a future weight loss drug, who knows?
There is an exception to the theory that CBD suppresses appetite, but that is a blessing. Many people who have difficulty eating due to stress can use CBD to relieve this painful feeling in their chest or stomach, allowing them to eat again when their stress subsides.
A recent study published in the International Journal of Neurophamacology lists CBD as a cause of neurogenesis in the brain, especially the hippocampus.
an area usually associated with conscious memory and navigation. However, researchers believe that the relief of CBD stress may be due to this neurogenesis in the brain. You can read the full article about this study here: http://www.medicaljane.com/2013/07/19/cbd-gives-birth-to-new-neurons-in-the-brain-2/#
CBD has a number of symptoms
Cannabidiol is the substance that gives Cannabis its sedative effect and is known to relieve a number of symptoms under difficult conditions. Significant experiments have been performed that have proven its healing properties.
Dr. Sean McAllister, a scientist at the Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, made an astonishing discovery about CBD. McAllister has been studying cannabinoid compounds for 10 years in search of new treatments for various cancers. He discovered that Cannabidiol is a potent inhibitor of cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and tumor growth.
Results of his experiments on breast cancer show that the number of cancer cells decreases with the use of CBD. In essence, CBD can generally be an effective way to inactivate the cancer gene, providing patients with a non-toxic treatment for aggressive cancers.
Raphael Mechoulam of the Medical School of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has been studying Cannabinoids for almost 50 years. Mechoulam gave a lecture on Cannabidiol as part of his 45-year involvement in the field, in which he spoke about a series of experiments on Cannabidiol.
He described an experiment in Brazil in which 200 mg of CBD per day was added to anticonvulsants taken by patients with epilepsy. Over several months only one in seven patients showed no improvement, three were relieved of seizures, one had only one or two seizures and two had a reduced incidence and severity of seizures.
CBD is anti-inflammatory and prevents diabetes
A colleague of Mechoulam, Marc Feldman at Imperial College London, tested CBD on mice with a form of rheumatoid arthritis and found that CBD reduced mouse inflammation by 50% at the correct dosage. Cardiologists experimenting with mice at the Hebrew University have found that a dose of CBD immediately after a heart attack can reduce the size of a heart attack by about 66%.
“CBD NOT ONLY CAUSES APPEARANCE, BUT ALSO BLOCKS THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIABETES” – Raphael Mechoulam
Another notable study by Mechoulam was performed on mice that were bred to have a version of type 1 diabetes. Diabetes was designed to occur at about 14 weeks, so the mice were treated with CBD for the first 7 weeks of life. them, and then again in another 7 weeks. He concluded that only 30% had developed diabetes compared to 90-100% who took placebo.
He then repeated the experiment, where CBD was not introduced until 14 weeks, when diabetes first developed. These were then tested over a period of 24 weeks and again only 30% of the treated mice were found to have diabetes. “CBD not only prevented the onset, it also blocked the development of diabetes,” Mechoulam said..
Varieties rich in CBD return
Unfortunately, most commercially available Indica varieties have been selected and grown for their high THC levels over the last 20-30 years. As a result, most strains contain less than 1% CBD.
Since CBD usually occurs below 1% in most strains, it is sometimes difficult to find a plant with equally low THC levels to avoid the “high” THC-derived experience. However, this does not mean that there are no varieties rich in CBD.
Thanks to the many growers who are now focusing on CBD-rich varieties for their medicinal benefits, instead of seeking high THC concentrations, CBD-rich varieties are making a comeback.
Cannatonic is a well-known popular variety rich in CBD, which is known to contain 6.5% CBD, and the same amount of THC, which makes it one of the most medicinal varieties. Also the varieties Sour Tsunami, Ghost Rider, Harlequin, Jamaican Lion and Omrita Rx3 have been tested several times in many laboratories
with 18% CBD content and with equal or lower percentages of THC (3: 2 ratio of CBD to THC in most cases).
We have only just begun to scratch the surface of understanding this miraculous Cannabinoid. Although important discoveries have been made about the medicinal benefits of Cannabidiol, there is still much to be discovered and revealed about this Cannabinoid.
source : http://www.medicaljane.com/2012/12/20/cannabidiol-cbd-medicine-of-the-future/#
Note All articles published here refer to information on all cannabinoids, but in Greece it is not possible to access THC (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which is not yet legal in our country.
