| From: Super Elmo | 29/02/2000
23:54:00 |
| Subject: Cannibas as a pain reliever and tumor killer. | post id:
43007 |
| http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s104234.htm Spanish researchers have found that cannabinoids slowed the growth of lethal brain tumours in rats, and in a third of cases eradicated the tumour completely. The type of tumour involved, called a glioma, is the most common form of primary brain tumour in people. It is among the most malignant forms of cancer and does not respond to surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The median survival time is 40-50 weeks. Cannabis is the subject of ongoing research for the medicinal treatment of pain and nausea, but this is the first time it has been shown to be effective against cancer cells inside in a living animal. The results are reported in the March issue of the journal Nature Medicine. Ismael Galve-Roperh from Complutense University in Madrid and colleagues tested the action of cannabis by injecting rats with glioma cells, then administering an infusion of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the active ingredient in cannabis, and a synthetic cannabinoid with fewer side-effects. The human brain has specific receptor molecules that bind with cannabinoids, including THC and similar compounds occurring naturally in the body. In one-third of the rats, the tumours were eradicated completely. In another third, tumour growth was significantly slowed, increasing survival time to up to six weeks (compared to 2-3 weeks for controls). The final one-third showed no improvement. Healthy brain tissue did not seem to be damaged, and the cannabinoids had no side-effects on motor coordination, physical activity, food and water intake, or body weight. As a follow-up, Galve-Roperh and team isolated glioma cells in an attempt to identify the mechansism by which cannabinoids worked. They found that, at least in the test-tube, cannabinoids induced apoptosis (programmed cell death) of the tumour cells via a messenger protein called ceramide. "The antiproliferative effect of cannabinoids reported here might provide the basis for a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of gliomas," wrote the researchers. sUpE | |
| From: Super Elmo | 01/03/2000
0:22:00 |
| Subject: re: Cannibas as a pain releaver and tumor killer. | post id:
43010 |
| I was reading this page on the
Labs website.... http://abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/stories/s69608.htm And read this.... Geoffrey Guy: There is a great debate on this issue. Some people will say that of all of the ways of inhaling herbal cannabis, a joint is the most efficient. Recent evidence has shown that although one can extract the particulates and the potential carcinogens in a burning of cannabis by the use of bongs or vapourisers, one actually finds that these vernacular delivery devices are less efficient than a joint, and when one looks at theratio of cannabinoid delivered to the ratio particulates, one actually finds that the joint is extremely efficient in that regard. Does anyone agree with this? SuPe | |
| From: Martin B | 01/03/2000
9:37:00 |
| Subject: re: Cannibas as a pain releaver and tumor killer. | post id:
43044 |
| There is a reasonable amount of
literature in the "Medical Marijuana" debate about cannabis used as an
analgesic. Personally, the only vaguely medicinal use for cannabis that I partake in is controlling nausea during a particularly bad hangover. A number of my friends swear by cannabis for relieving period pain. I have never had occasion to try this out... | |
| From: Dr Paul (Avatar) | 01/03/2000
9:55:00 |
| Subject: re: Cannibas as a pain releaver and tumor killer. | post id:
43050 |
| Hi all, is it that it Marijuana contains compounds which act as relaxants more than analgesics? The relief of back pain may be due to the relaxation of the muscles around the lumbar vertebrae, which will relieve any pressure on the nerve bundles emerging from between the vertebrae? Could also be a variability in their effect from person to person, accounting for their effectiveness in some and lessened effectiveness in others. Could these be delivered as a herbal tea rather than with the coapplication of the smoke? Paul, with many questions today, who knows when I can get back to see if there are any answers? PS I also agree with the medicinal use of cannibis for long term pain sufferers, HIV, cancer sufferers. I do not like the idea of the application of the smoke with the cannibis. Just thoughts. | |
| From: Martin B | 01/03/2000
10:03:00 |
| Subject: re: Cannibas as a pain releaver and tumor killer. | post id:
43053 |
| Hi Paul The dose-response of ingested cannabis has so far shown to be far too unreliable (as anyone who has had an unexpected experience on hash brownies can attest), so inhalation remains the preferred delivery mechanism for medical marijuana despite its drawbacks. Cannabis certainly does have muscle relaxant properties, one of its clinical uses is treating muscle spasms. Most drugs vary in effect from person to person AFAIK. | |