The Neuro-Protective Properties of Cannabinoids

[Purple Power]

The Neuro-Protective Properties of Cannabinoids

By <span><a data-ipb="nomediaparse" href="http://www.marijuana.com/blog/news/author/bgoldstein/" title="Posts by Bonni Goldstein, M.D.">Bonni Goldstein, M.D.</a> </span> on <span> </span>
<span>January 18th, 2017</span>

Cannabis was considered medicine for thousands of years and only over the last eighty years has it been stigmatized as a drug of abuse. Thanks to countless scientists and their curiosity, we now understand that the compounds in cannabis interact directly with a widespread and complex system, named the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which works to maintain homeostasis within our brains and bodies. Almost every physiologic process in the human body is affected by the ECS including our natural protective response to injury and inflammation.

The ECS was discovered as a result of scientists searching for the mechanism of action of THC. Working as a key and lock mechanism, cannabinoid receptors (the locks) that sit in the cell membrane are activated by key chemical compounds. The keys include endocannabinoids, compounds that we make internally, phytocannabinoids, compounds made by the cannabis plant, and laboratory-derived synthetic cannabinoids, used mostly in research. When the cannabinoid activates the receptor by binding to it, a chemical reaction takes place in the cell, telling the cell to change its message. For instance, if a person suffering from pain uses cannabis medicine, pain is often minimized or eliminated. This happens because the brain cell alters the perception of pain in response to the activation of the cannabinoid receptor by the cannabinoids, which in turn tells the cell to stop sending the message of pain. Knowing where cannabinoid receptors are located allows us to understand the conditions that cannabis medicine can affect. In the brain the receptors are located in areas that control pain, nausea, vomiting, learning, stress, memory, appetite, motor coordination and higher cognitive function. In the body, cannabinoid receptors are mostly located in the gut, immune system, and liver, and are largely involved in regulation of inflammation.

When there is a traumatic brain injury (TBI), damage from the initial insult occurs followed by a number of secondary damage mechanisms. Injured brain cells release a neurotransmitter called glutamate, which is toxic to cells when it accumulates. This overabundance of glutamate leads to a cascade of chemical reactions that produce even more compounds that further damage the brain. Brain injury also causes the release of chemicals that cause blood vessels to constrict, decreasing blood flow that leads to cell energy loss and cell death. Brain inflammation is triggered within hours of injury and adds to the massive destruction of brain cells. These multiple mechanisms that harm brain cells are the reasons why TBI is so difficult to treat. We need treatment that will address all of the different mechanisms glutamate accumulation, decreased blood flow and inflammation taking place in the injured brain. ....

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