Pinch
Well-Known Member
Despite continued political debates regarding the recreational use of cannabis, clinical investigations of the therapeutic use of cannabinoids are now more prevalent than at any time in history. A search of the PubMed website quantifies this dramatic upturn. For example, a key word search using the terms "cannabis, cannabinoids, THC, and marijuana" for the year 1982 yields only 231 published articles on the subject (down from the previous decade's high of 419 articles in 1972.) However, this annual total has been rising almost every year since then, with more than 800 journal articles published in 2002, and nearly 700 articles published during the first half of 2006.
While much of the renewed interest in cannabinoid therapeutics is a result of the discovery of the endocannabinoid regulatory system, at least some of this increased attention is due to the growing body of testimonials from medicinal cannabis patients. Nevertheless, despite this influx of anecdotal reports, much of the modern investigation of cannabinoids remains limited to preclinical (animal) studies of individual cannabinoids (e.g. THC or cannabidiol) and/or synthetic cannabinoid agonists (e.g., dronabinol or WIN 55,212-2) rather than clinical trial investigations of whole smoked cannabis. Predictably, because of the US government's strong public policy stance against any use of cannabis, the bulk of this modern research is taking place outside the United States.
While the initial clinical investigations of cannabis in the 1960s and 1970s primarily assessed the potential therapeutic use of cannabinoids to provide symptomatic relief (e.g., the alleviation of chemotherapy-induce nausea), investigators today are now exploring the potential role of cannabis and cannabinoids to moderate the progression of various life-threatening diseases – in particular, autoimmune disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, as well as neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's disease.) Investigators are also beginning to study the anti-cancer activities of cannabinoids, as a growing number of recently published studies indicate the ability of cannabinoids to reduce the proliferation of specific cancer cells via apoptosis (program cell death) and by the inhibition of angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels). Arguably, these latter trends represent far broader and more significant applications for cannabinoid therapeutics than researchers could have imagined some thirty or even twenty years ago.
The following report is a comprehensive summary of the most recently published research (2000-2006) on the therapeutic use cannabis and cannabinoids for 15 separate clinical indications: Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, diabetes mellitus, dystonia, fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal disorders, gliomas,hepatitis C, hypertension, incontinence, osteoporosis, pruritis, rheumatoid arthritis, sleep apnea, and Tourette's syndrome. In some of these cases, modern science is now affirming longtime anecdotal reports of medicinal cannabis users (e.g., the use of cannabis to alleviate GI disorders). In other cases, this research is highlighting entirely new potential clinical utilities for cannabinoids (e.g., the use of cannabinoids to modify the progression of diabetes.)
Readers familiar with the medical efficacy of cannabinoids will note that modern research highlighting more established therapeutic uses for cannabinoids, such as in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis and chronic pain, are not included in this report. This is not because additional clinical investigations of cannabinoids for these established indications are not taking place. Rather, it is because research in these areas is already fairly well vetted in both the public and scientific arena. (e.g., Synthetic THC is already available by prescription in the US and Europe as an anti-emetic agent and appetite stimulant; natural cannabis extracts are available in Canada as an analgesic for MS-associated neuropathic pain.) It is NORML's hope that the modern science supporting the potential therapeutic use of cannabis and cannabinoids for the emerging indications addressed here will become equally well established among both the medicinal cannabis community and the public.
Paul Armentano
Senior Policy Analyst
NORML | NORML Foundation
Washington, DC
September 13, 2006
The author would like to acknowledge Drs. Dale Gieringer, Gregory Carter, Steven Karch, and Mitch Earleywine, as well as NORML interns John Lucy, Christopher Rasmussen and Rita Bowles, for providing research assistance for this report.
Important and timely reports such as this are only made possible when concerned citizens become involved with NORML. For more information on joining NORML or making a donation, please visit: Join. Tax deductible donations in support of NORML's public education campaigns should be made payable to the NORML Foundation.
updated: Sep 13, 2006
While much of the renewed interest in cannabinoid therapeutics is a result of the discovery of the endocannabinoid regulatory system, at least some of this increased attention is due to the growing body of testimonials from medicinal cannabis patients. Nevertheless, despite this influx of anecdotal reports, much of the modern investigation of cannabinoids remains limited to preclinical (animal) studies of individual cannabinoids (e.g. THC or cannabidiol) and/or synthetic cannabinoid agonists (e.g., dronabinol or WIN 55,212-2) rather than clinical trial investigations of whole smoked cannabis. Predictably, because of the US government's strong public policy stance against any use of cannabis, the bulk of this modern research is taking place outside the United States.
While the initial clinical investigations of cannabis in the 1960s and 1970s primarily assessed the potential therapeutic use of cannabinoids to provide symptomatic relief (e.g., the alleviation of chemotherapy-induce nausea), investigators today are now exploring the potential role of cannabis and cannabinoids to moderate the progression of various life-threatening diseases – in particular, autoimmune disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, as well as neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's disease.) Investigators are also beginning to study the anti-cancer activities of cannabinoids, as a growing number of recently published studies indicate the ability of cannabinoids to reduce the proliferation of specific cancer cells via apoptosis (program cell death) and by the inhibition of angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels). Arguably, these latter trends represent far broader and more significant applications for cannabinoid therapeutics than researchers could have imagined some thirty or even twenty years ago.
The following report is a comprehensive summary of the most recently published research (2000-2006) on the therapeutic use cannabis and cannabinoids for 15 separate clinical indications: Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, diabetes mellitus, dystonia, fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal disorders, gliomas,hepatitis C, hypertension, incontinence, osteoporosis, pruritis, rheumatoid arthritis, sleep apnea, and Tourette's syndrome. In some of these cases, modern science is now affirming longtime anecdotal reports of medicinal cannabis users (e.g., the use of cannabis to alleviate GI disorders). In other cases, this research is highlighting entirely new potential clinical utilities for cannabinoids (e.g., the use of cannabinoids to modify the progression of diabetes.)
Readers familiar with the medical efficacy of cannabinoids will note that modern research highlighting more established therapeutic uses for cannabinoids, such as in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis and chronic pain, are not included in this report. This is not because additional clinical investigations of cannabinoids for these established indications are not taking place. Rather, it is because research in these areas is already fairly well vetted in both the public and scientific arena. (e.g., Synthetic THC is already available by prescription in the US and Europe as an anti-emetic agent and appetite stimulant; natural cannabis extracts are available in Canada as an analgesic for MS-associated neuropathic pain.) It is NORML's hope that the modern science supporting the potential therapeutic use of cannabis and cannabinoids for the emerging indications addressed here will become equally well established among both the medicinal cannabis community and the public.
Paul Armentano
Senior Policy Analyst
NORML | NORML Foundation
Washington, DC
September 13, 2006
The author would like to acknowledge Drs. Dale Gieringer, Gregory Carter, Steven Karch, and Mitch Earleywine, as well as NORML interns John Lucy, Christopher Rasmussen and Rita Bowles, for providing research assistance for this report.
Important and timely reports such as this are only made possible when concerned citizens become involved with NORML. For more information on joining NORML or making a donation, please visit: Join. Tax deductible donations in support of NORML's public education campaigns should be made payable to the NORML Foundation.
updated: Sep 13, 2006
