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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Cannabis Chemical Offers Heart Disease Hope
Don Barnard Press Release
Tuesday 05 Apr 2005 CANNABIS CHEMICAL OFFERS HEART DISEASE HOPE [1] "This THC stuff is confusing, the substance refered to is not the cannabis plant it is a concoction produced in the laboratory "The cannabis plant may pose some risks to a very small number of the millions who use ...it does not pose a serious risk to the vast majority"..." IMO the substance used in this reseach is bloody angerous." -See: Know your THC's. [2] "Scientist make pills for all ills - God made the cannabis plants - Who do you trust." Legalise Cannabis Alliance, (Cyfathrach Cyfreithloni Cannabis) http://www.lca-uk.org/ pressoffice@lca-uk.org 07984 255015 Editors notes CANNABIS CHEMICAL OFFERS HEART DISEASE HOPE Embargoed to 1800 Wednesday April 6 By John von Radowitz, PA Science Correspondent The main active ingredient in cannabis protects arteries against harmful changes that lead to strokes and heart attacks, new research revealed today. Scientists believe THC, or similar cannabinoid chemicals, could in future provide new treatments for heart disease. But they warn that simply smoking cannabis does not offer the same benefit and may actually damage the heart. THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannibol, is known to affect the brain and make cannabis-users "high". The new research shows that it also has an influence on blood vessels. A study of mice revealed that the compound blocks the process of inflammation which is largely responsible for the narrowing of arteries. Inflammation combines with fatty deposits to produce obstructive "plaques", a condition known as atherosclerosis. These can block arteries to the heart, causing angina and heart attacks, or to the brain, leading to strokes. Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of heart disease and stroke in the western world, accounting for up to 50% of deaths from both conditions. Heart disease and stroke are the biggest killers in the UK. Together they claim almost 240,000 lives a year and cause more than one in three deaths. The scientists, led by Dr Francois Mach from Geneva University Hospital in Switzerland, studied a strain of specially-bred mice that are susceptible to narrowing of the arteries. They were fed a high-cholesterol diet to make them develop atherosclerotic plaques. Adding THC to their diet caused the growth of the obstructions in their arteries to slow down markedly after a period of 11 months. But when the mice were given a chemical that blocked the action of THC their arteries continued to narrow at a fast rate. Analysis showed that at a biomolecular level THC interfered with the process of inflammation. Cannabis was already known to suppress the immune system, and inflammation is the result of a harmful immune response. THC attached itself to a specific "receptor" protein called CB2 on the surface of immune cells, found both in mice and humans. This in turn affected the production of signalling molecules involved in inflammation, which occurs when white immune cells and fluid leak out of blood vessels into the tissues. Writing in the journal Nature, the scientists pointed out that the THC doses used were low - too low to cause the mice to get "high". They wrote: "Our results suggest that cannabinoid derivatives with activity at the CB2 receptor may be valuable clinical targets for treating atherosclerosis." But American critical-care expert Professor Michael Roth, from the University of California at Los Angeles, urged caution when considering cannabis as a heart disease therapy. "The findings... are striking, but they should not be taken to mean that smoking marijuana is beneficial to the heart," he wrote in an accompanying article. "The dose response curve to THC in this study was very narrow and U-shaped, with higher and lower concentrations failing to produce protective effects. It would be difficult to achieve such specific concentrations in the blood by smoking marijuana. Also, no studies have been performed in humans to evaluate the effects of THC on atherosclerosis." He added that the effects of THC on the brain, where it binds to a different receptor protein, could counteract its benefit to the heart. The action of the drug compound on the brain led to a stress response which significantly reduced blood flow in coronary arteries while increasing the heart's demand for oxygen. Pulse rate went up, and blood pressure rose before suddenly falling on standing or walking. The effects increased the likelihood of angina and were independent risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. Smoking cannabis also lowered the oxygen-carrying ability of red blood cells. "Ultimately, to take advantage of the positive effects reported... will probably mean developing cannabinoids that target CB2 receptors, rather than using marijuana or oral THC as medicines," said Professor Roth. 2] Know your THC's Nabilone (Systemic) Brand Names [UK] * Cesamet Before Using This Medicine In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For nabilone, the following should be considered: Allergies-Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to nabilone or marijuana products. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes. Pregnancy-Studies have not been done in pregnant women. However, studies in animals have shown a decrease in successful pregnancies and a decrease in the number of live babies born, when nabilone was given in doses many times the usual human dose. Breast-feeding-It is not known whether nabilone passes into the breast milk. However, nabilone is not recommended during breast-feeding because other medicines similar to nabilone that pass into the breast milk have been shown to cause unwanted effects in the nursing baby. Children-Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of nabilone in children with use in other age groups. Older adults-Fast or pounding heartbeat, feeling faint or lightheaded, and unusual tiredness or weakness may be especially likely to occur in elderly patients, who are usually more sensitive than younger adults to the effects of nabilone. Also, the effects this medicine may have on the mind may be of special concern in the elderly. Therefore, older people should be watched closely while taking this medicine. Other medicines-Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking nabilone, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following: * Central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicine that causes drowsiness) or * Tricyclic antidepressants (medicine for depression)-Taking these medicines with nabilone may increase the CNS- depressant effects Other medical problems-The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of nabilone. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially: * Alcohol abuse (or history of) or * Drug abuse or dependence (or history of)-Dependence on nabilone may develop * Emotional problems or * Heart disease or * Low blood pressure or * Manic or depressive states or * Mental illness (severe) or * Schizophrenia-Nabilone may make the condition worse * Liver disease (severe)-Higher blood levels of nabilone may occur, increasing the chance of side effects
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