Cannabis Effects in Humans

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Kofalvi, A. (2008). Cannabinoids and the Brain. New York: Springer.

• This book compiles chapters from neuroscientists and clinical authors which cover the endocannabinoid system. It provides an overview of the available literature on the endocannabinoid system and includes discussions of genetics, biology, anatomy, pharmacology, and physiology.

Myers, A., Siegele, P., Foss, J., Tuma, R., & Ward, S. (2018, January 16). Single and combined effects of plant-derived and synthetic cannabinoids on cognition and cannabinoid-associated withdrawal signs in mice. British Journal of Pharmacology.

• This study examined the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) and whether CBD could effectively reduce unwanted effects of THC.

Ni, X., Geller, E., Eppihimer, M., Eisenstein, T., Adler, M., & Tuma, R. (2004, April). Win 55212-2, a cannabinoid receptor agonist, attenuates leukocyte/endothelial interactions in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model. Multiple Sclerosis, 10(2), 158-164.

• This study examined how cannabinoid receptor agonists interfere with leukocyte rolling and adhesion, potentially slowing the progress of multiple sclerosis.

Pacher, P., Batkai, S., & Kunos, G. (2006, September). The endocannabinoid system as an emerging target of pharmacotherapy. Pharmacological Reviews, 58(3), 389-462.

• This source provides a comprehensive overview of current understanding of the endocannabinoid system and available pharmacotherapies. This includes coverage of cannabinoid receptor agonists to prevent unwanted effects of cannabis treatments.

Pacher, P., & Kunos, G. (2013, May). Modulating the endocannabinoid system in human health and disease--successes and failures. The FEBS Journal, 280(9), 1918-1943.

• This source discusses unexpected complexities that have come up as researchers examine the effects of cannabinoid antagonists on the endocannabinoid system. The authors suggest that a better understanding of the pathophysiological role of the endocannabinoid system is required in order to create more successful treatment approaches.

Sexton, M., Shelton, K., Haley, P., & West, M. (2018, March). Evaluation of Cannabinoid and Terpenoid Content: Cannabis Flower Compared to Supercritical CO2 Concentrate. Planta Medica, 84(4), 234-241.

• This study examined changes in cannabinoid and terpene content as whole flower cannabis was processed into concentrate. The results indicate that more thorough characterization of cannabis products is required to fully capture the effects of those products, especially as our understanding of the impact of terpenoid composition increases.

Ward, S., McAllister, S., Kawamura, R., Murase, R., Neelakantan, H., & Walker, E. (2014, February).

Cannabidiol inhibits paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain through 5-HT(1A) receptors without

diminishing nervous system function or chemotherapy efficacy. British Journal of Pharmacology, 171(3), 636-45.

• This study examined whether cannabidiol (CBD) could effectively protect against neuropathic pain caused by paclitaxel in chemotherapy patients. It also examined whether CBD treatments were associated with unwanted effects or a reduction in the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatments in breast cancer patients.

Fichna, J., Bawa, M., Thakur, G., Tichkule, R., Makriyannis, A., McCafferty, D., . . . Storr, M. (2014, October 2). Cannabinoids alleviate experimentally induced intestinal inflammation by acting at central and peripheral receptors. PLoS One, 9(10).

• This study examined the mechanism by which cannabinoids provide a therapeutic benefit in those with colitis. It examined anti-inflammatory action in the intestine and provided insight for the development of pharmacologically effective cannabinoid treatments.

Lahat, A., Lang, A., & Ben-Horin, S. (2012). Impact of cannabis treatment on the quality of life, weight and clinical disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease patients: a pilot prospective study. Digestion, 85(1), 1-8.

• This study examined whether cannabis could be an effective treatment for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It found that inhaled cannabis improved quality of life and diminished symptoms of IBD in a small group of patients.

Lal, S., Prasad, N., Ryan, M., Tangri, S., Silverberg, M., Gordon, A., & Steinhart, H. (2011, October). Cannabis use amongst patients with inflammatory bowel disease. European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 23(10), 891-896.

• This study examined evidence that activation of the cannabinoid system might protect against colonic inflammation and therefore could play a therapeutic role in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Naftali, T., Lev, L., Yablecovitch, D., Half, E., & Konikoff, F. (2011, August). Treatment of Crohn's disease with cannabis: an observational study. The Israel Medical Association Journal, 13(8), 455-458.

• In the first report of cannabis use in Crohn's disease, researchers found that cannabis improved the symptoms of Crohn's disease, reduced the need for other treatments, and reduced the likelihood of patients requiring surgery. However, additional study is needed to fully evaluate the treatment and the results.

Naftali, T., Schleider, L. B.-L., Dotan, I., Lansky, E., Benjaminov, F. S., & Konikoff, F. (2013, October). Cannabis induces a clinical response in patients with Crohn's disease: a prospective placebo-controlled study. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 11(10), 1276-1280.

• This study investigated whether cannabis has potential to induce remission in patients
• with Crohn's disease. While remission was not achieved in any participants, those taking
• cannabis did see significant clinical benefits.