cannabisnews.com: Marijuana's Key Ingredient May Fight Alzheimers





Marijuana's Key Ingredient May Fight Alzheimers
Posted by CN Staff on October 05, 2006 at 12:41:36 PT
By Charles Q. Choi
Source: Fox News Network 
USA -- The active ingredient of marijuana could be considerably better at suppressing the abnormal clumping of malformed proteins that is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease than any currently approved prescription drugs.Scientists report the finding in the Oct. 2 issue of the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics. About 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease, which gradually destroys memory. As more people survive into old age, cases of Alzheimer’s disease are expected to triple over the next 50 years. There is no known cure.
The researchers looked at THC, the compound inside marijuana responsible for its action on the brain.Computer models suggested THC might inhibit an enzyme with the tongue-twisting name of acetylcholinesterase (also called AChE) that is linked to Alzheimer's. AChE is known to help accelerate the formation of abnormal protein clumps in the brain, known as amyloid plaques, during Alzheimer's.This enzyme also helps break down the brain chemical acetylcholine, which is linked to memory and learning. Acetylcholine levels are reduced during Alzheimer's.In lab experiments, the scientists found THC was significantly better at disrupting the abnormal clumping of malformed proteins.THC could completely prevent AChE from forming amyloid plaques, while two drugs approved for use against Alzheimer's, donepezil and tacrine, reduced clumping by only 22 and 7 percent, respectively, at twice the concentration of THC used in the tests."We're not advocating smoking dope, but if we can make analogues of THC, it could play a role in treating Alzheimer's," researcher Kim Janda, a chemist at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., told LiveScience. "It would be nice to do more animal studies along these lines."Past research on human brain tissues and experiments with rats have suggested that synthetic analogues of THC can reduce the inflammation and prevent the mental decline associated with Alzheimer's disease.However, marijuana is not necessarily good for the mind.Prior investigations have shown that years of heavy marijuana use, consisting of four or more joints a week, can impair memory, decision-making and the ability to pay attention to more than one thing at a time.Complete Title: Marijuana's Key Ingredient May Fight Alzheimer's DiseaseCopyright: 2006 Imaginova Corp. Source: Fox News Network (US)Author: Charles Q. ChoiPublished: Thursday, October 05, 2006Copyright: 2006 FOX News Network, LLC. Contact: views foxnews.com Website: http://www.foxnews.com/Related Articles: Marijuana Ingredient May Help Alzheimers http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20276.shtmlMarijuana May Block Alzheimers http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20269.shtmlHigh Times for Alzheimers http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14254.shtml 
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Comment #9 posted by user123 on October 05, 2006 at 19:46:03 PT:
Fox Pews
"Prior investigations have shown that years of heavy marijuana use, consisting of four or more joints a week, can impair memory, decision-making and the ability to pay attention to more than one thing at a time."You are telling people that cannabis might screw up the memory of Alzheimer's patients????Sounds more like they're saying it causes Alzheimer's. You're right, they are f*#(ng idiots!
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Comment #8 posted by E_Johnson on October 05, 2006 at 17:12:33 PT
Cowardice, prostitution, or emotional disability?
""We're not advocating smoking dope, but if we can make analogues of THC, it could play a role in treating Alzheimer's," researcher Kim Janda, a chemist at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., told LiveScience. "It would be nice to do more animal studies along these lines.""**************************************************************Right, everyone. Just get sick and lose everything and suffer needlessly and impose a huge burden on your families, while we scientists dither around and try to look politically correct so we don't endanger any of our federal funding or our relationship with the pharmaceutical industry.I love science but sometimes scientists can talk like really cold heartless brutally unconcerned disconnected pseudo-human beings.
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Comment #7 posted by whig on October 05, 2006 at 16:00:09 PT
freewilks
Cannabis stimulates appetite and that is probably very good for people with Anorexia nervosa. When you are anxious and trying to lose weight, you may suppress hunger to the point that you don't want to eat. Cannabis may intercept this and make you want to eat again.
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Comment #6 posted by whig on October 05, 2006 at 15:57:43 PT
Fox News
fucking idiots: "Prior investigations have shown that years of heavy marijuana use, consisting of four or more joints a week, can impair memory, decision-making and the ability to pay attention to more than one thing at a time."You are telling people that cannabis might screw up the memory of Alzheimer's patients????
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Comment #5 posted by whig on October 05, 2006 at 15:54:39 PT
Paul Armentano
Cannabis is superior to prescription drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease:http://tinyurl.com/jaw8q
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Comment #4 posted by freewillks on October 05, 2006 at 14:40:50 PT
Paul Armentano
Thank you.
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Comment #3 posted by paul armentano on October 05, 2006 at 14:30:58 PT
freewillks: THC and appetite stimulation
THC appears to have far more impact on appetite than other cannabinoids such as CBD, See:"The CB(2) cannabinoid receptor antagonist SR144528 and the nonpsychoactive cannabinoid cannabidiol did not affect food intake nor activity."CB1 cannabinoid receptor-mediated modulation of food intake in mice.Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Box 980613, Richmond, VA 23298-0613, USA. jwiley hsc.vcu.eduMarijuana's appetite-increasing effects have long been known. Recent research suggests that the CB(1) cannabinoid receptor antagonist SR141716A may suppress appetite. This study represents a further, systematic investigation of the role of CB(1) cannabinoid receptors in the pharmacological effects of cannabinoids on food intake. 2 Mice were food-restricted for 24 h and then allowed access to their regular rodent chow for 1 h. Whereas the CB(1) antagonist SR141716A dose-dependently decreased food consumption at doses that did not affect motor activity, Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC) increased food consumption at doses that had no effect on motor activity. O-3259 and O-3257, structural analogs of SR141716A, produced effects similar to those of the parent compound. 3 Amphetamine (a known anorectic) and diazepam (a benzodiazepine and CNS depressant) decreased food consumption, but only at doses that also increased or decreased motor activity, respectively. The CB(2) cannabinoid receptor antagonist SR144528 and the nonpsychoactive cannabinoid cannabidiol did not affect food intake nor activity. 4 SR141716A decreased feeding in wild-type mice, but lacked pharmacological activity in CB(1) knockout mice; however, basal food intake was lower in CB(1) knockout mice. Amphetamine decreased feeding in both mouse genotypes. 5 These results suggest that SR141716A may affect the actions of endogenous cannabinoids in regulating appetite or that it may have effects of its own aside from antagonism of cannabinoid effects (e.g., decreased feeding behavior and locomotor stimulation). In either case, these results strongly suggest that CB(1) receptors may play a role in regulation of feeding behavior.PMID: 15778743 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Comment #2 posted by freewillks on October 05, 2006 at 13:51:23 PT
FDA: No Medical Value to Marijuana.
Gee, Will the FDA admit that Cannabis has medical value now? What makes a synthetic better than the whole GOD given plant? I am desperate for some real research into cannabis and anorexia nervosa. anyone with info please let me know. I am guesing that CBD heavy plants would have more of an effect on hunger? 
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Comment #1 posted by paul armentano on October 05, 2006 at 12:57:24 PT
More on cannabinoids and AD
from NORML's report: Emerging Clinical Applications For Cannabis & Cannabinoids
A Review of the Recent Scientific Literature, 2000 — 2006PS: The study cited today by Fox News is discussed in detail in Footnote #2.Alzheimer's DiseaseAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurological disorder of unknown origin that is characterized by a progressive loss of memory and learned behavior.  Patients with Alzheimer’s are also likely to experience depression, agitation, and appetite loss, among other symptoms.  Over 4.5 million Americans are estimated to be afflicted with the disease.  No approved treatments or medications are available to stop the progression of AD, and few pharmaceuticals have been FDA-approved to treat symptoms of the disease.A review of the recent scientific literature indicates that cannabinoid therapy may provide symptomatic relief to patients afflicted with AD while also moderating the progression of the disease.Writing in the February 2005 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, investigators at Madrid's Complutense University and the Cajal Institute in Spain reported that the intracerebroventricular administration of the synthetic cannabinoid WIN 55,212-2 prevented cognitive impairment and decreased neurotoxicity in rats injected with amyloid-beta peptide (a protein believed to induce Alzheimer’s).  Additional cannabinoids were also found to reduce the inflammation associated with Alzheimer's disease in human brain tissue in culture.  "Our results indicate that … cannabinoids succeed in preventing the neurodegenerative process occurring in the disease," investigators concluded.[1]More recently, investigators at The Scripps Research Institute in California reported that THC inhibits the enzyme responsible for the aggregation of amyloid plaque — the primary marker for Alzheimer's disease — in a manner "considerably superior" to approved Alzheimer's drugs such as donepezil and tacrine. "Our results provide a mechanism whereby the THC molecule can directly impact Alzheimer's disease pathology," researchers concluded. "THC and its analogues may provide an improved therapeutic [option] for Alzheimer's disease [by]... simultaneously treating both the symptoms and the progression of [the] disease."[2]Previous preclinical studies have demonstrated that cannabinoids’ can prevent cell death by anti-oxidation.[3]  Some experts believe that cannabinoids’ neuroprotective properties could also play a role in moderating AD.[4]In addition to potentially modifying  the progression of AD, clinical trials also indicate that cannabinoid therapy can reduce agitation and stimulate weight gain in patients with the disease.  Most recently, investigators at Berlin Germany’s Charite Universitatmedizin, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, reported that the daily administration of 2.5 mg of synthetic THC over a two-week period reduced nocturnal motor activity and agitation in AD patients in an open-label pilot study.[5]Clinical data presented at the 2003 annual meeting of the International Psychogeriatric Association previously reported that the oral administration of up to 10 mg of synthetic THC reduced agitation and stimulated weight gain in late-stage Alzheimer’s patients in an open-label clinical trial.[6]  Improved weight gain and a decrease in negative feelings among AD patients administered cannabinoids were previously reported by investigators in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatryin 1997.[7] Additional study of the use of cannabinoids and Alzheimer’s would appear to be warranted.REFERENCES[1] Ramirez et al. 2005. Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease pathology by cannabinoids. The Journal of Neuroscience 25: 1904-1913.[2] Eubanks et al. 2006. A molecular link between the active component of marijuana and Alzheimer's disease pathology. Molecular Pharmaceutics(E-pub ahead of print).[3] Hampson et al. 1998. Cannabidiol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol are neuroprotective antioxidants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 95: 8268-8273.[4] Science News. June 11, 1998. “Marijuana chemical tapped to fight strokes.”[5] Walther et al. 2006. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol for nighttime agitation in severe dementia. Physcopharmacology 185: 524-528.[6] BBC News. August 21, 2003. “Cannabis lifts Alzheimer’s appetite.”[7] Volicer et al. 1997. Effects of dronabinol on anorexia and disturbed behavior in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 12: 913-919.
http://www.norml.org//index.cfm?Group_ID=7003
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