Cannabidiol and Other Cannabinoids in Demyelinating Diseases

/by

A growing body of preclinical evidence indicates that certain cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD) and synthetic derivatives, may play a role in the myelinating processes and are promising small molecules to be developed as drug candidates for management of demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI), which are three of the most prevalent demyelinating disorders. Thanks to the properties described for CBD and its interesting profile in humans, both the phytocannabinoid and derivatives could be considered as potential candidates for clinical use. In this review we will summarize current advances in the use of CBD and other cannabinoids as future potential treatments.

Read more

Endocannabinoid Metabolism and Traumatic Brain Injury

/by

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a major cause of morbidity and disability and is a risk factor for developing neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, no effective therapies are currently available for TBI-induced AD-like disease. Endocannabinoids are endogenous lipid mediators involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. The compound 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is the most abundant endocannabinoid with profound anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.

Read more

Cannabinoids and the expanded endocannabinoid system in neurological disorders.

/by

Authors: Luigia Cristino, Tiziana Bisogno, Vincenzo Di Marzo
Nature Reviews Neurology, January 2020
—
Anecdotal evidence that cannabis preparations have medical benefits together with the discovery of the psychotropic plant cannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) initiated efforts to develop cannabinoid-based therapeutics. These efforts have been marked by disappointment, es…

Read more

Elevated brain cannabinoid CB1 receptor availability in post-traumatic stress disorder: a positron emission tomography study.

/by

Authors: A Neumeister, M D Normandin, R H Pietrzak, D Piomelli, M Q Zheng, A Gujarro-Anton, et al
Molecular Psychiatry, September 2013
—
Endocannabinoids and their attending cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor have been implicated in animal models of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, their specific role has not been studied in people with PTSD. Herein, we present an in vivo imaging study using posit…

Read more

Cannabinoids: well-suited candidates for the treatment of perinatal brain injury.

/by

Authors: David Fernández-López, Ignacio Lizasoain, Maria Ángeles Moro, José Martínez-Orgado
Brain Sciences, 10 July 2013
—
Perinatal brain injury can be induced by a number of different damaging events occurring during or shortly after birth, including neonatal asphyxia, neonatal hypoxia-ischemia and stroke-induced focal ischemia. Typical manifestations of these conditions are the presence of glut…

Read more

The endocannabinoid-CB receptor system: Importance for development and in pediatric disease.

/by

Authors: Ester Fride
Neuro endocrinology letters, February-April 2004
—
Endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) and their cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, are present from the early stages of gestation and play a number of vital roles for the developing organism. Although most of these data are collected from animal studies, a role for cannab…

Read more

Cannabinoids and brain injury: therapeutic implications.

/by

Authors: Raphael Mechoulam, David Panikashvili, Esther Shohami
Trends in Molecular Medicine, February 2002
—
Mounting in vitro and in vivo data suggest that the endocannabinoids anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, as well as some plant and synthetic cannabinoids, have neuroprotective effects following brain injury. Cannabinoid receptor agonists inhibit glutamatergic synaptic tran…

Read more