Medicinal Uses of Cannabis and Cannabinoids:
MEDICAL CANNABIS
Cannabis was legalized in Montana in 2004. It already has achieved semi-legal status in 14 states of the Union as per the date of this paper. Cannabis status at Federal level remains schedule I, under the Controlled Substance Act. So far the major reasons for medical use has been chronic pain, muscle spasm, nausea, vomitting, inflammation, glaucoma and insomnia. Currently some 2500 medical practitioners in Montana alone have been registered to grow and recommend the use of Cannabis to patients.
CANNABINOIDS
Cannabinoids are synthetic forms of the main psychoactive ingredients of cannabis. The chemical designation of cannabis is tetra -hydro- cannabinol-delta-9 (CTR) Cannabinoids have been prescribed in the US since 1986. One of them is dronabinol, marketed as MARINOL and has been downgraded from schedule I1 to schedule III in
1999, due to low street value. It is listed for nausea and vomiting associated with cancer
chemotherapy, and appetite improvement in AIDS. Another synthetic cannabinoid, racemic nabilone is marketed in the USA as CESAMET. It was also approved for chemotherapy-related symptoms. Another product currently used in Canada and Europe is a cannabis extract used as oral spray (Savitex). Since this is a product completely extracted from the cannabis plant Savitex is currently in phase III of drug testing in the USA.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Cannabis receptors were identified in 1988. There are two general receptors: Type CB I,generally in the CNS and CB2 generally in the immune system. Almost all cannabinoids are anti-inflammatories. From a technical stand point, there is no evidence that cannabis has drug-interactions with OPIODS. The toxicity of cannabis is extremely low. However,
psyquiatric side effects can be severe in certain persons with underlying psyquiatric conditions, such as Schizophrenia, specially when used in adolescence. There have been some reports that cannabis use under age 20 may have a negative effect on the maturing of the CNS.
On the other hand there are many small studies favoring cannabis used for seizures,polyneuropathies, anxiety and chronic pain. A few other potential good use of cannabis are symptoms management of MS, spasticity, fatigue, appetite and sleep. According to the United Nations, cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the world. Cannabis use has been traced as far back to the III millennium B.C. In modem times, cannabis has been used for numerous other purposes such as: recreational, religious, spiritual as well as medical. The possession, use, share, transport and distribution cannabis preparations containing psychoactive substances became illegal in most parts of the world in the early 20 century. Cannabis indigenous to Central and South Asia. Some other names for cannabis: hashish, hem, marijuana, marihuana and mariguana.
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