Medical Marijuana (Pro/Con): Immune System?

[CaseyJones]

I was reading on a pro and con website for medical MJ that said that one downside is that THC kills off cells in the body that prevent infection and etc. This is odd to me because I haven't been sick a day in my life, since the exact day that I started smoking marijuana. So if I can go this long with out being sick, I think that pot is definately HELPING my immune system.

[ALWAYS-420]

okay, first of all, MJ does not "kill off" cells in the body (any for that matter)
-maybe lung cells since your are inhaling smoke into your lungs, but thats as far as i would go with that

keep it green~

[Pinch]

Marijuana as medicine: Consider the pros and cons - MayoClinic.com (August 25, 2006)

Marijuana-like Compounds Suppress The Immune Response (April 29, 2006)

Table 2.7 | Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base | Institute of Medicine (1985 - 1998)



We just discussed this matter. Go to this thread, Post #6.. Effect of marijuana on the immune system


These are the most recent studies (negative BS?) I could find.

Read and decide for yourself.

[Pinch]

Here's another:

1: J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2006 Oct;319(1):269-76. Epub 2006 Jul 12.Click here to read Links
Cannabinoid treatment suppresses the T-helper cell-polarizing function of mouse dendritic cells stimulated with Legionella pneumophila infection.

* Lu T,
* Newton C,
* Perkins I,
* Friedman H,
* Klein TW.

Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, MDC 10 University of South Florida College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, Florida 33612, USA.

Marijuana cannabinoids, such as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinoid (THC), suppress type 1 T-helper 1 (Th1) immunity in a variety of models, including infection with the intracellular pathogen Legionella pneumophila (Lp). (Legionella pneumophila cover page) To examine the cellular mechanism of this effect, bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) were purified from BALB/c mice and studied following infection and drug treatment. DCs infected in vitro with Lp were able to protect mice when injected prior to a lethal Lp infection; however, the immunization potential of the Lp-loaded cells along with Th1 cytokine production was attenuated (attenuated - Definitions from Dictionary.com) by THC treatment at the time of in vitro infection. In addition, THC-treated and Lp-loaded DCs were poorly stimulated in culture-primed splenic CD4(+) T cells to produce interferon-gamma; however, this stimulating deficiency was reversed by adding recombinant interleukin (IL)-12p40 protein to the cultures. Moreover, THC treatment inhibited the expression of DC maturation markers, such as major histocompatibility complex class II and costimulatory molecules CD86 and CD40 as determined by flow cytometry and suppressed the Notch ligand, Del-ta4, as determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. However, THC treatment did not affect other DC functions, such as intracellular killing of Lp, determined by colony-forming unit counts of bacteria, and Lp-induced apoptosis, determined by annexin V staining. In conclusion, the data suggest that THC inhibits Th1 activation by targeting essential DC functions, such as IL-12p40 secretion, maturation, and expression of costimulatory and polarizing molecules.

PMID: 16837556 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Entrez PubMed


WOW! And there you go! That's what THC does to sick mice.. you guys' systems perhaps work differently..