C&P#49: CBD for psychosis & neuroprotection from HIV + cancer cancer cancer
C&P#49: CBD for psychosis & neuroprotection from HIV + cancer cancer cancer
War on Drugs horrors + DC finally gets its way
Hello everyone,
This week’s newsletter is late because of a toddler with the chickenpox. Poor kid.
Also, Happy Spring! Over here, exactly on the Equinox, I got the proof copy for republishing my second book, ‘The Crown; or, How To Shoot An Elephant’.
It’s about the decades-long hunt to crack the first complete structure of a cannabinoid: cannabinol (CBN). You can read the free PDF for now, but once I have the print version for sale, it’ll disappear. So check it out while you can…
Welcome to the 49th edition of Cannabinoids & the People. This newsletter collects all the new cannabinoid science each week. You can check out last week’s issue here & if you haven’t subscribed yet, please do.
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And as always, here’s the Living Glossary of Cannabinoid Terms & at the bottom is the album of the week.
This week…
In humans, CBD for preventing psychosis & for protecting from the neurocognitive problems of HIV
In preclinical, CBD for bone stem cells, Parkinson’s, obesity & bladder pain
More THC gets into the system when given in a full spectrum extract
Cannabinoids for the cachexia (wasting disease) of cancer
Also, cancer cancer cancer killing
Much more on why long-term cannabis isn’t great for heart health
#itsthecatalepsyforme
Can you imagine taking DMT in an fMRI machine?
Hop viroids threaten entire cannabis industry
The War on Drugs continues to horrify
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Sponsor: A new product from PlusCBD: Daily Balance THC free softgels & gummies
Last week I highlighted this study on CBD for substance use disorders. As I wrote on my internal newsletter for CV Sciences, the makers of PlusCBD products, “The one thing to note is that the levels of isolated CBD in these studies tend to be in the hundreds of milligrams per day. If a person tried taking that much from a CBD-rich hemp extract, it would not only be prohibitively expensive, but the levels of THC would also be unpleasantly high for most people. That's why I think our new Daily Balance THC-free products are an excellent solution. Then a person could take one or two servings of a full-plant extract product to get the benefits of the entourage effect – and then take several Daily Balance softgels or gummies to greatly boost their CBD levels. It solves the problem that you see in matching the levels of CBD often used in the clinical literature with what people in the real world can get. The ability to take a few hundred milligrams of CBD along with the minor cannabinoids and terpenes means that you combine the isolated CBD studies with the full-spectrum extracts studies and the low dose of THC studies. It’s a great product to add for unlocking the power we see in so many domains for using hundreds of milligrams of isolated CBD.”
So you can see why I’m proud to be sponsored by CV Sciences. They make excellent CBD products for boosting people’s health & with this new offering, you can combine the power of high levels of CBD (as seen in the clinical studies) with the entourage effect of full-spectrum hemp extracts (as seen throughout human history). For whatever you’re dealing with, it’s a potent combination.
Best Of Cannabinoid Science...
A deep dive on combining CBD with magnesium by Gleb Oleinik
Combining CBD With Magnesium: Science-Backed Benefits
https://cbdthinker.com/combining-cbd-with-magnesium/
On the mixed research about using CBD for tinnitus by Nate Seltenrich
https://www.projectcbd.org/cbd-tinnitus
Because I have to see this every week, you have to see it once: a HEMP is an electromagnetic pulse bomb to disable electrical infrastructure (like the EMP in the Matrix) & because of its acronym, I know more about this subject than I ever thought I would
Numerical Evaluation of the HEMP Diffusion into Buried Infrastructures
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10058848
Clinical
In people with HIV who use cannabis & methamphetamine, the cannabis users had better scores on measures of executive functions, learning, memory & working memory
The Combined Effects of Cannabis, Methamphetamine, and HIV on Neurocognition
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/3/674
In patients at a high risk of psychosis, CBD helped to normalize the levels of glutamate in their hippocampus, suggesting a protective effect
Hippocampal Glutamate, Resting Perfusion and the Effects of Cannabidiol in Psychosis Risk
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/medrxiv/early/2023/03/05/2023.03.02.23286709.full.pdf
A new textbook on medical cannabis & the cannabinoids for cancer, epilepsy & the neurodegenerative disorders
Medical Cannabis and the Effects of Cannabinoids on Fighting Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy, Parkinson's, and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases
https://www.igi-global.com/book/medical-cannabis-effects-cannabinoids-fighting/296569#table-of-contents
Reviews
For neuropsychiatric disorders, a review of 18 studies on the efficacy of cannabinoids
Efficacy of cannabinoids in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders among children and adolescents: a systematic review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36864363/
A review of using the cannabinoids against breast cancer that is resistant to the first-line treatments
Phytocannabinoids in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Treatment: Current Knowledge and Future Insights
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36854495/
The intro to a special issue on a multi-omics approach to studying the vast diversity of the endocannabinoid system
Large-Scale Multi-Omic Approaches and Atlas-Based Profiling for Cellular, Molecular, and Functional Specificity, Heterogeneity, and Diversity in the Endocannabinoid System
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36899950/
Preclinical
In a monkey model of HIV, long-term low-dose THC reduced neuroinflammation, enhanced endocannabinoid levels & helped the gut-brain axis via the promotion of neuroprotective gut bacteria
Cannabinoids modulate the microbiota-gut-brain axis in HIV/SIV infection by reducing neuroinflammation and dysbiosis while concurrently elevating endocannabinoid and indole-3-propionate levels
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36890518/
In a fish model of Parkinson’s disease, CBD almost completely reversed the motor dysfunction via dopamine receptors & did so better than a common treatment drug
Cannabidiol improves haloperidol-induced motor dysfunction in zebrafish: a comparative study with a dopamine activating drug
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36871008/
In a rat model of obesity, two weeks of CBD reduced the intramuscular fatty acid, lowered the production of new lipids in the muscles & profoundly improved the ratios of the lipids
Cannabidiol improves muscular lipid profile by affecting the expression of fatty acid transporters and inhibiting de novo lipogenesis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36879113/
In a model of cystitis & bladder pain (a disease of chronic inflammation of the urinary bladder), CBD reduced inflammation & oxidative stress
Cannabidiol as a Promising Therapeutic Option in IC/BPS: In Vitro Evaluation of Its Protective Effects against Inflammation and Oxidative Stress
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36902479/
In mice, more THC got into their system when administered in a THC- rich extract. Also oral CBD helped with their mechanical pain hypersensitivity
Pharmacokinetics of Orally Applied Cannabinoids and Medical Marijuana Extracts in Mouse Nervous Tissue and Plasma: Relevance for Pain Treatment
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/15/3/853
In rats, low doses of THC caused painkilling effects in females but not males
Low-Dose Δ9-THC Produces Antinociception in Female, But Not Male Rats
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36862519/
For your undergraduate chemistry students, lab exercises in analyzing cannabis
Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Cannabis: Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory Exercise
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00966
An evergreen note on reading restricted paper:
First stop for seeing if there’s a free version of a paper, use the Google Scholar Chrome extension (Mac version), Google Scholar itself or try ResearchGate.
3 other helpful browser extensions are: Unpaywall, Open Access Button & PaperPanda
For the infamous backdoor, use Sci-Hub – the pirated papers repository (Chrome extension here). This works better for older paper than the stuff that just came out.
For Twitter users, send a Tweet of the paper’s title with the hashtag #icanhazpdf. It works because people are beautiful(ish).
Finally, email the author. They’re almost always happy to oblige because, thanks to the predatory academic publishing system, they don’t make a dollar off of their papers.
the Headlines & Fav Articles
Congress finally allows a Washington DC medical cannabis bill to pass into law
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/d-c-medical-marijuana-expansion-bill-eliminating-licensing-caps-becomes-law-following-congressional-review
According to the stalwart reporting of Marijuana Moment, “It removes license caps, provides 280E tax relief, lets patients self-certify without doctors, prioritizes equity and allows on-site consumption facilities while providing for enforcement against unlicensed sellers.”
A new congressional bill is introduced that would allow CBD & other hemp derivatives to be treated as dietary supplements & food additives
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-bipartisan-congressional-bills-would-allow-hemp-derivatives-like-cbd-as-dietary-supplements-and-food-additives
I usually don't cover proposed legislation because proposed legislation rarely passes into law, but hell, maybe I'm feeling lucky...
‘The growing Chinese investment in illegal American weed’ by Natalie Fertig
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/21/illicit-cannabis-china-00086125
In Switzerland, public health officials approved the cannabis legalization pilot program in Zurich
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/controlled-cannabis-sale-in-zurich-greenlighted-/48382086
On the importance of the cannabis dispensary features allowed by your state laws…
Haha. Speaking of, New York’s Cannabis Czar doesn’t want the shitty weed of MSOs at shitty prices
The War on Drugs & Prohibition
#awful. In Tennessee, five children- including a still nursing 4-month-old infant -were removed from their parents because a small amount of cannabis was found during a traffic stop
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/kids-taken-from-family-following-marijuana-arrest-remain-in-tennessee-state-custody-following-hearing
Research on the expungement of cannabis records finds that states usually require people to petition for relief as well as imposing waiting periods & financial requirements
Clearing cannabis criminal records: A survey of criminal record expungement availability and accessibility among US States and Washington DC that decriminalized or legalized cannabis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36863286/
This is some bullshit.
It is a travesty in a just society to have people's lives being made more difficult because of old crimes that are no longer crimes & should never have been crimes in the first place.
A look inside life-saving overdose prevention centers by the Drug Policy Alliance
If you don’t support SIFs, I think you’re a monster.
On the terrible war on drugs in the Philippines
A critique on the “war on drugs” policy in the Philippines
https://scienggj.org/2022/2022%20Special%20Issue/1/SciEnggJ%202022%20Special%20Issue%2001-08-Estacio%20et%20al.pdf
The UK doubles down on its Drug War stupidity with a plan to ban nitrous oxide
https://www.leafie.co.uk/news/government-ignores-advice-nitrous-oxide
Psychedelics, Plant Medicines & Other Psychoactives
In Oregon, the first state issued license to produce psilocybin
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/oregon-approves-nations-first-psilocybin-grower-license-to-supply-psychedelic-service-centers
In a new poll, the majority of US voters would legalize psychedelic therapy & decriminalize psychedelic substances
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/majority-of-americans-back-legalizing-psychedelics-therapy-and-federally-decriminalizing-substances-like-psilocybin-poll-finds
The newly formed Psychedelic Medicine PAC will support candidates who back the use of psychedelics for therapeutic purposes
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/new-political-action-committee-to-back-candidates-who-support-psychedelics
An overview of psychedelic patents & the controversy around them by Shelby Hartman
https://doubleblindmag.com/commercial-psychedelics-products-plants
On the super-potent salvinorin analogues by Dr. Andrew Gallimore
History & Heroes
On the life & times of the psychedelic hero Kilindi Iyi
A history of drug use in the Malay Peninsula
https://pointshistory.com/2023/03/23/a-historical-overview-of-drug-use-in-the-malay-peninsula
The Psychoactive Research
[This isn’t a deep dive into all of the science of psychedelics & other psychoactives like I do for the cannabinoids. If a newsletter with all that new science would be of interest to your company or organization, reach out to me]
An excellent review of ibogaine by Dr. Deborah Mash
Ibogaine – A legacy within the current renaissance of psychedelic therapy
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661822005667?via%3Dihub
A review of psychedelics & the microbiome-gut-brain axis
Seeking the Psilocybiome: Psychedelics meet the microbiota-gut-brain axis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36605409/
Brain scan studies of people on DMT
Human brain effects of DMT assessed via EEG-fMRI
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36940333/
For substance use disorders, a genome wide association study across 1M subjects finds dopamine regulation to be the strongest influence
Multivariate genome-wide association meta-analysis of over 1 million subjects identifies loci underlying multiple substance use disorders
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-023-00034-y
The NIDA press release
https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2023/03/new-nih-study-reveals-shared-genetic-markers-underlying-substance-use-disorders
The Plant & the History
A review of the many uses of hemp
Hemp: An Alternative Source for Various Industries and an Emerging Tool for Functional Food and Pharmaceutical Sectors
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/11/3/718
On how to make cannabis olive oil preparations in one step
Digital Technologies Applied to Control the One-Step Process of Cannabis Olive Oil Preparations
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/15/3/870
Growing & Farming
A review on the threat of hop viroids to the cannabis industry
Hop Latent Viroid: A Hidden Threat to the Cannabis Industry
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/3/681
A review of the many pests & parasites that attack cannabis
Cannabis sativa: A look at protozoa, helminths, insect vectors, and pests
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36893925/
A study on how to optimize the yield of your hemp grows
RESEARCH ON THE OPTIMIZATION OF THE INDUSTRIAL HEMP CULTIVATION TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FULL USE OF BIOMASS
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Carmen-Ghitau/publication/368720717_2022_seria_Agronomie/links/63f7358c574950594538e941/2022-seria-Agronomie.pdf
A look at how you process your hemp & what that means for its cannabinoid & terpene content as well as its antioxidant capacity
Relationship between Total Antioxidant Capacity, Cannabinoids and Terpenoids in Hops and Cannabis
https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/6/1225
A study of the genes involved in early-flowering cannabis
Gene Dosage at the Autoflowering Locus Effects Flowering Timing and Plant Height in Triploid Cannabis
https://journals.ashs.org/jashs/view/journals/jashs/148/2/article-p83.xml
An analysis of hemp when grown under different salt levels in the soil
Evaluation of Morphophysiological Characteristics, Nutrient Accumulation and Fatty Acid Profile of Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Under Different Salinity Levels
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10343-023-00846-z
An analysis of the circular RNAs that may be involved in the creation of cannabinoids
Identification of circular RNAs of Cannabis sativa L. potentially involved in the biosynthesis of cannabinoids
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36862222/
How to extract nanocellulose from hemp fibers
Extraction and Properties of Nanocellulose from Hemp Fibers
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-18104-7_17
Veterinarian Uses & Animal Feed
Feeding hemp seeds to quail had no negative effects on their laying performance or egg quality, suggesting hempseeds as a viable alternative to more expensive feeds like corn or soybeans
Impact of Cannabis Seed Incorporation in Layer Diet on Productive Performance and Egg Quality Traits
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36896045/
In broiler chickens, hemp seeds increased their growth performance
Effects of hemp seed and flaxseed on enzyme activity in the broiler chicken digestive tract
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36965210/
CANNABINOID SCIENCE
A history of medical cannabis in Indonesia
History and Legislative Changes Governing Medical Cannabis in Indonesia
https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/history-and-legislative-changes-governing-medical-cannabis-in-indonesia/320052
Clinical Studies & Surveys
In a review of 15 papers on driving & cannabis laws, more than half of them showed an increased level of risk behaviors, especially in young males
Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Road Safety: A Literature Review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36901669/
In an analysis of older drivers, cannabis use was not associated with more driving accidents
Risk of Motor Vehicle Collisions and Culpability among Older Drivers Using Cannabis: A Meta-Analysis
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/3/421
On the sourcing of cannabis by Queer people
Typical Sources and Locations of Marijuana among US Young Adults: Differences by Sexual Minority Status
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36852431/
“Results found that gay/lesbian and bisexual individuals who reported use were more likely to get marijuana from buying it, trading it for something else and getting it for free or sharing someone else's, compared to heterosexual individuals. Furthermore, more than one in five lesbian/gay individuals reported obtaining marijuana from someone they just met while nearly 25% of bisexual women reported obtaining marijuana from a friend.”
A series of interviews on why people over 30 in France are using cannabis
Experience of Cannabis Use from Adolescence to Adulthood in France: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36901478/
“Five superordinate themes were identified in the analysis: 1-soothing a traumatic experience through cannabis use; 2-an ambivalent relationship with the user and cannabis and with the user and close relatives; 3-cannabis, a known soft drug comparable to alcohol or tobacco, leading to an illogical demonization; 4-recreational use in the context of experimentation; and 5-a paradoxical desire for exemplary parenting.”
Adolescents
In a survey of adolescents, cannabis use is associated with higher odds of depression & depression severity
Cannabis Use is Associated With Depression Severity and Suicidality in the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949732923000030
In adolescent trauma patients who tested positive for cannabis, their injuries were more likely to be caused by guns and/or knives
Mechanisms of Injury in Adolescent Trauma Patients With a Positive Marijuana Screen
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36878692/
Unsurprisingly, it's easy for people under 18 to purchase CBD & delta-8 THC online
Absence of Age Verification for Online Purchases of Cannabidiol and Delta-8: Implications for Youth Access
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36870900/
Mental Health, Sleep & Addiction
During the pandemic, university students who used cannabis alone had worse consequences than social users
Solitary Cannabis Use and Related Consequences Among College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36857296/
In baboons addicted to alcohol, CBD did not change their alcohol-seeking behavior
Oral Cannabidiol does not alter Alcohol Seeking and Self-Administration in Baboons
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36871377/
In rats, CBD extended their sleep & changed their sleep oscillations but caused worse cumulative memory consolidation
CBD lengthens sleep, shortens ripples and leads to intact simple but worse cumulative memory
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.28.530388v1.full.pdf
In a rat model of anxiety, how the CB1 receptors & the FAAH enzyme are used to counteract the effects of stress
Bed nucleus of the stria terminalis CB1 receptors and the FAAH enzyme modulate anxiety behavior depending on previous stress exposure
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36870468/
In young rats, exposure to anandamide caused deficits in learning & time perception via the NMDA (glutamate) receptors
Exposure to anandamide on young rats causes deficits in learning, temporal perception and induces changes in NMDA receptor expression
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36868364/
In rats deprived of REM sleep, the CB1 receptor seems to play a role in their problems with memory retrieval
Role of the Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor in Object Recognition Memory Impairment in Chronically REM Sleep‒deprived Rats
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36851888/
In a mouse model of chronic social defeat, social & sexual rewards increased their stress resilience via the endocannabinoid & glutamate systems in reward centers of the brain (the ventral tegmental area & dorsal raphe nucleus)
Reward enhances resilience to chronic social defeat stress in mice: Neural ECs and mGluR5 mechanism via neuroprotection in VTA and DRN
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36873216/
The Brain & its Diseases
In humans with multiple sclerosis, increased symptom severity was associated with an increased use of cannabinoid based medicines, especially for the treatment of pain
Symptom severity is a major determinant of cannabis-based products use among people with multiple sclerosis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36880273/
A review of epilepsy patients using isolated CBD (Epidiolex) & how well it works for them
Real-world, long-term evaluation of the tolerability and therapy retention of Epidiolex® (cannabidiol) in patients with refractory epilepsy
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36893722/
A review of how cannabinoids help temporal lobe epilepsy via modulation of the hippocampus
Cannabinoid regulation of neurons in the dentate gyrus during epileptogenesis: Role of CB1R-associated proteins and downstream pathways
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36869624/
In an atomic study of Alzheimer’s Aβ plaques, CBD helped to sequester them & potentially reduce neurotoxicity
Cannabidiol-Mediated Sequestration of Alzheimer’s Amyloid-β Peptides in ADDL Oligomers
https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=123502
In a mouse model of stroke, the synthetic cannabinoid VCE-004.8 (an activator of both the CB2 receptor & the PPARγ nuclear receptor) reduced brain damage, improved behavioral outcomes, reduced inflammatory cytokines & caused neuroprotection
Neuroprotection by the cannabidiol aminoquinone VCE-004.8 in experimental ischemic stroke in mice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36863495/
In the midbrain of mice, the PPAR nuclear receptors are on the dopamine-producing neurons & they affect dopamine & cannabinoid-mediated behaviors
PPARα and PPARγ are expressed in midbrain dopamine neurons and modulate dopamine- and cannabinoid-mediated behavior in mice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36909477/
Harms, Cannabis Use Disorder & Street Synthetics
In an analysis of veterans, the liberalization of state cannabis laws had a small effect size on the increase of cannabis use disorder
State Cannabis Legalization and Cannabis Use Disorder in the US Veterans Health Administration, 2005 to 2019
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36857036/
In mice, chronic exposure to a synthetic cannabinoid changed their brain metabolism & led to spatial & recognition memory deficits
Chronic exposure to a synthetic cannabinoid alters cerebral brain metabolism and causes long-lasting behavioral deficits in adult mice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36853560/
An analysis of the breakdown pathways of several synthetic cannabinoids
Systematic in vitro metabolic profiling of the OXIZID synthetic cannabinoids BZO-4en-POXIZID, BZO-POXIZID, 5F-BZO-POXIZID, BZO-HEXOXIZID and BZO-CHMOXIZID
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36857377/
The Immune System, Autoimmune Disorders & Pathogens
An analysis of the pathways used by the cannabinoids to help with rheumatoid arthritis
The Abundant Phytocannabinoids in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Therapeutic Targets and Molecular Processes Identified Using Integrated Bioinformatics and Network Pharmacology https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/3/700
In a small sample of chronic cannabis users, they had higher levels of white blood cells as well as higher depression scores
Chronic Cannabis Use is Associated with Altered Monocyte Phenotype, Immune Response, and Depression in Physically Active Individuals
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36867857/
In white blood cells, the anti-inflammatory effects of CBD combined with extracts from the noni plant
Anti-inflammatory Effect of a Combination of Cannabidiol and Morinda citrifolia Extract on Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264 Macrophages
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36881078/
Hormones, Reproduction & Maternal Effects
A review of the effects of prenatal cannabinoid exposure
Effects of prenatal cannabinoid exposure
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41684-023-01133-0
In female rats, how the steroid hormone tamoxifen (an estrogen receptor modulator) alters their endocannabinoid levels depending on the phase of their estrous cycle
Long-Term Tamoxifen Effects in the Cyclic Interaction of the Endocannabinoid and Endocrine System in the Rat Central Nervous System
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/3/720
In zebrafish larvae, THC exposure increased the synaptic activity at their neuromuscular junctions & swimming activity but decreased their escape response to sound stimuli
Acute effect of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on neuromuscular transmission and locomotive behaviours in larval zebrafish
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36883767/
The Skin
How to enhance skin penetration of CBD using silica particles
Enhanced Skin Penetration of Cannabidiol Using Organosilane Particles as Transdermal Delivery Vehicles
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/15/3/798
Cancer
A review of 34 papers by the cancer support group MASCC caused them to reject the use of cannabinoids to help with cancer pain because of the potential harm and & adverse events, particularly with treatment using a checkpoint inhibitor
MASCC guideline: cannabis for cancer-related pain and risk of harms and adverse events
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36872397/
In wasting disease from colorectal cancer, cannabinoids helped to lower the skeletal muscle atrophy via the CB2 receptor
The protective effect of cannabinoids against colorectal cancer cachexia through modulation of inflammation and immune responses
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36871538/
In patients with wasting disease from cancer treatment, they had higher levels of endocannabinoids in their blood
The association of circulating endocannabinoids with cancer cachexia: A cross-sectional study
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S240545772300058X
In bladder cancer, combining CBD & THC plus their synergistic effects with the standard treatments
Anticancer properties of cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and synergistic effects with gemcitabine and cisplatin in bladder cancer cell lines
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36870996/
In prostate cancer cells, CBD reduced cancer progression
Cannabidiol and Cannabis Sativa as a potential treatment in vitro prostate cancer cells silenced with RBBp6 and PC3 xenograft
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36853473/
In human skin cancer cells, an analysis of the genes activated when cannabis causes apoptosis (cellular suicide)
Gene Profiling of Cannabis-sativa-mediated Apoptosis in Human Melanoma Cells
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36854502/
In leukemia & lymphoma cells, 2-AG helped to slow down their migration
2-Arachidonoylglycerol Modulates CXCL12-Mediated Chemotaxis in Mantle Cell Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36900374/
In prostate & pancreatic cancer cells, on finding synthetic cannabinoids that cause cell death
Library Screening and Preliminary Characterization of Synthetic Cannabinoids Against Prostate and Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36880938/
“5-Fluoro NPB-22, FUB-NPB-22, and LY2183240 represent new leads against prostate and pancreatic cancer cells in addition to the previously reported compounds, HU-331, (±)5-epi-CP55,940, and PTI-2.”
Guts, Metabolism, the Microbiome & Oral Health
In dental stem cells, CBD improved their ability to create new bone cells
Dental pulp stem cells-derived cannabidiolpretreated micro-spheroids showed robust osteogenic potential via upregulation of WNT6
https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2580851/v1/fe75f386-c2bf-447b-8b26-576ee7800691.pdf?c=1677701720
A look at how the CB1 receptor is involved in the development of the GI tract
CANNABINOID RECEPTOR 1 IS LOCALIZED IN ENTERIC NEURONS AND EPITHELIUM IN FETAL AND EARLY POSTNATAL MOUSE INTESTINE
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9991138/
Pain, Inflammation & Surgeries
In pain receptors, the biochemistry behind their sensitization includes endocannabinoids
Heterosynaptic long-term potentiation of non-nociceptive synapses requires endocannabinoids, NMDARs, CamKII, and PKCζ
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36883763/
The Heart
In a review of UK public health data, men – but not women - with a heavy lifetime use of cannabis had a greater arterial stiffness index (rigidity of your arteries)
Association between lifetime cannabis use and arterial stiffness in a middle-aged general population
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36878471/
A special journal supplement on the negative heart effects of cannabis use
CANNABIS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/S0735-1097%2823%2902603-7
MORTALITY RISK AND CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS AMONG CANNABIS USERS OF AGES 60 AND MORE FOLLOWING ADMISSION FOR PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION
https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/S0735-1097%2823%2901401-8
ASSOCIATION OF CANNABIS USE DISORDER WITH RISK OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE: A MENDELIAN RANDOMIZATION STUDY
https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/S0735-1097%2823%2902129-0
ACUTE CHEST PAIN WITH MUDDLING MARIJUANA
https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/S0735-1097%2823%2903140-6
MARIJUANA USE AS A RISK FACTOR FOR ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE-A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY FROM THE NATIONAL INPATIENT SAMPLE
https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/S0735-1097%2823%2901680-7
THE LONGITUDINAL ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MARIJUANA USE AND CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOMES: RESULTS FROM A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE COHORT STUDY
https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/S0735-1097%2823%2902305-7
BETA-CARYOPHYLLENE REDUCES PERICARDIAL INFLAMMATION IN A MOUSE MODEL OF ACUTE PERICARDITIS
https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/S0735-1097%2823%2901253-6
ABNORMAL MITOCHONDRIAL CALCIUM CONTENT IN ANGIOTENSIN-INDUCED HYPERTROPHY IS AMELIORATED BY CANNABIDIOL MIMICKING PPAR- G ACTIVATION
https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/S0735-1097%2823%2901000-8
EXERCISE PROVOKED VASOSPASTIC ANGINA RELATED TO HABITUAL MARIJUANA USE
https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/S0735-1097%2823%2904244-4
MARIJUANA-INDUCED MYOPERICARDITIS: A CASE REPORT
https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/S0735-1097%2823%2904040-8
The Liver
In male rats, cannabis seed powder for 15 days had “positive effect on liver functions and no evidence on liver tissue damages or injury”
Effect Of Cannabis Seeds Powder As A Dietary Supplementation On Hepatic Tissue And Functions In Male Rats
https://www.pnrjournal.com/index.php/home/article/view/9156
In liver cells, analyzing the levels of CBD that might cause toxicity
Establishment of a point of departure for CBD hepatotoxicity employing human HepaRG spheroids
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36863504/
The Lungs
In the lungs, how the breakdown products of anandamide cause airway dilation
New insights into the mechanisms of anandamide-induced airway dilation placing its degradation enzyme, FAAH center stage. Commentary on: Simon A, von Einem T, Seidinger A, Matthey M, Bindila L, Wenzel D (2022) The endocannabinoid anandamide is an airway relaxant in health and disease. Nat Commun 13:6941
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36856931/
The Eyes
On how to quantify CBD in the aqueous humor of the eye
LC-MS/MS quantitation of non-psychotropic cannabinoid cannabidiol in aqueous humor
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36907022/
Cool Chemistry
Using a radiotracer to look at the CB2 receptor in human brains
First-in-human imaging using [11C]MDTC: a radiotracer targeting the cannabinoid receptor type 2
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36877235/
In our Neural Ocean metaphor, this is like attaching a radioactive tag to the tail of a whale to find out where the gay bars are.
On a new sensor for the real time detection of endocannabinoid levels
Pharmacological characterization of the endocannabinoid sensor GRAB eCB2.0
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36945533/
This has always been a tricky problem because these slippery lipids are hard to pin down. But an effective method to quantify their levels in a patient would be useful clinically.
A new dihydrostilbene found in cannabis
A new dihydrostilbene from aerial part of Cannabis sativa
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36872269/
On discovering new drugs to activate the CB1 receptor that have less side effects
Structure-based discovery of cannabinoid-1 receptor agonists with reduced side effects
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2023/03/03/2023.02.27.530254.full.pdf
What if we like the side effects? #itsthecatalepsyforme
On synthesizing cannabinoids from the terpene neral (an isomer of citral)
Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of cannabinoids and menthol from neral
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36859552/
An analysis of full-spectrum cannabis chitosan-coated alginate microcapsules
Chitosan-Coated Alginate Microcapsules of a Full-Spectrum Cannabis Extract: Characterization, Long-Term Stability and In Vitro Bioaccessibility
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/15/3/859
Thanks.
- lex
PS: For this week’s Hawaiian slack key guitar, Ozzie Kotani’s album ‘Kani Kī Hō'alu’ (“The Sound of Slack Key”). A respected music teacher of Honolulu, a creator of books & DVDs devoted to teaching slack key, he’s also a historian of this musical movement of the Hawaiian Renaissance. He produced a tribute album to the last Queen of Hawaii, a respected musician herself & a patron of the arts, overthrown by business interests & plantation owners. In his work as a teacher, he’s one of the most important people in spreading the knowledge of slack key guitar.