Preferential epithelial expression of type-1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1R) in the developing canine embryo.

Authors: Andrea Pirone, Carla Lenzi, Alessandra Coli, Elisabetta Giannessi, Maria Rita Stornelli, Vincenzo Miragliotta
SpringerPlus, 22 December 2015

The use of cannabinoid receptor agonists is gaining a strong interest both in human and veterinary medicine. The potential use of cannabimimetic compounds in companion animals was reviewed in 2007 for their role in tissue inflammation and pain. A better knowledge of type-1 can…

Cannabinoid WIN55, 212-2 induces cell cycle arrest and inhibits the proliferation and migration of human BEL7402 hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Authors: Dacai Xu, Jianglin Wang, Zhenkang Zhou, Zhiwei He, Qing Zhao
Molecular Medicine Reports, December 2015

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide; however, only limited therapeutic treatments are currently available. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of cannabinoids as novel therapeutic targets in HCC. In additi…

Molecular Targets of Cannabidiol in Neurological Disorders.

Authors: Clementino Ibeas Bih, Tong Chen, Alistair V. W. Nunn, Michaël Bazelot, et al
Neurotherapeutics, October 2015

Cannabis has a long history of anecdotal medicinal use and limited licensed medicinal use. Until recently, alleged clinical effects from anecdotal reports and the use of licensed cannabinoid medicines are most likely mediated by tetrahydrocannabinol by virtue of: 1) this canna…

Cannabinoids and Epilepsy.

Authors: Evan C. Rosenberg, Richard W. Tsien, Benjamin J. Whalley, Orrin Devinsky
Neurotherapeutics, October 2015

Cannabis has been used for centuries to treat seizures. Recent anecdotal reports, accumulating animal model data, and mechanistic insights have raised interest in cannabis-based antiepileptic therapies. In this study, we review current understanding of the endocannabinoid syst…

Cannabidiol for the Prevention of Graft-versus-Host-Disease after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: Results of a Phase II Study.

Authors: Moshe Yeshurun, Ofer Shpilberg, Corina Herscovici, Liat Shargian, Juliet Dreyer, et al
Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, October 2015

Graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) is a major obstacle to successful allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT). Cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychotropic ingredient of Cannabis sativa, possesses potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. We hypothesized…

Endocannabinoid Signaling in Autism.

Authors: Bhismadev Chakrabarti, Antonio Persico, Natalia Battista, Mauro Maccarrone
Neurotherapeutics, October 2015

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex behavioral condition with onset during early childhood and a lifelong course in the vast majority of cases. To date, no behavioral, genetic, brain imaging, or electrophysiological test can specifically validate a clinical diagnosis o…

Marijuana Use in Epilepsy: The Myth and the Reality.

Authors: Kamil Detyniecki, Lawrence Hirsch
Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, October 2015

Marijuana has been utilized as a medicinal plant to treat a variety of conditions for nearly five millennia. Over the past few years, there has been an unprecedented interest in using cannabis extracts to treat epilepsy, spurred on by a few refractory pediatric cases featured…

Δ⁹-Tetrahydrocannabinol attenuates allogeneic host-versus-graft response and delays skin graft rejection through activation of cannabinoid receptor 1 and induction of myeloid-derived suppressor cells.

Authors: Jessica M. Sido, Prakash S. Nagarkatti, Mitzi Nagarkatti
Journal of Leukocyte Biology, September 2015

Immune cells have been shown to express cannabinoid receptors and to produce endogenous ligands. Moreover, activation of cannabinoid receptors on immune cells has been shown to trigger potent immunosuppression. Despite such studies, the role of cannabinoids in transplantation…

Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Movement Disorders.

Authors: Briony Catlow, Juan Sanchez-Ramos
Current Treatment Options in Neurology, September 2015

Use of cannabinoids as medications has a long history. Unfortunately, the prohibition of cannabis and its classification in 1970 as a schedule 1 drug has been a major obstacle in studying these agents in a systematic, controlled manner. The number of class 1 studies (randomize…

The psychoactive compound of Cannabis sativa, Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) inhibits the human trophoblast cell turnover.

Authors: M.A. Costa, B.M. Fonseca, F. Marques, N.A. Teixeira, G. Correia-da-Silva
Toxicology, 6 August 2015

The noxious effects of cannabis consumption for fertility and pregnancy outcome are recognized for years. Its consumption during gestation is associated with alterations in foetal growth, low birth weight and preterm labor. The main psychoactive molecule of cannabis, Δ(9)-tetr…

Drug-drug interaction between clobazam and cannabidiol in children with refractory epilepsy.

Authors: Alexandra L. Geffrey, Sarah F. Pollack, Patricia L. Bruno, Elizabeth A. Thiele
Epilepsia, August 2015

OBJECTIVE: Under an expanded access investigational new drug (IND) trial, cannabidiol (CBD) is being studied as a possible adjuvant treatment of refractory epilepsy in children. Of the 25 subjects in the trial, 13 were being treated with clobazam (CLB). Because CLB and CBD are…

Use and effects of cannabinoids in military veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Authors: Kevin Betthauser, Jeffrey Pilz, Laura E. Vollmer
American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 1 August 2015

PURPOSE: Published evidence regarding the use of cannabis and cannabis derivatives by military veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is reviewed. SUMMARY: When inhaled or delivered orally or transdermally, cannabinoids (the psychoactive components of unrefined mar…