Journal of cannabis research最新文献

Background: Cannabis sativa L. (Cannabaceae) has been widely used by humans throughout its history for a variety of purposes (medicinal, alimentary and other uses). Armenia, with its rich cultural history and diverse ecosystems, offers a unique context for ethnobotanical research about traditional uses of Cannabis. The present work aims to study and preserve the local traditional knowledge about Cannabis in Armenia by conducting interviews with informants and through a literature review.

Methods: The first part of the dataset was gathered with ethnobotanical surveys, through questionnaires conducted with 27 informants. The second part of the data was obtained from a comprehensive bibliographic search in English, Armenian and Russian language. Since the data acquisition was different, the quantitative analyses (calculation of the number of use reports and percentages) were performed separately.

Results: During the interviews 52 use reports and 3 vernacular names were recorded, while the bibliographic data from 20 references, provided us with 56 use reports and 17 Cannabis vernacular names, from the 5th century to 2020. Our results indicate that medicinal applications, particularly for human ailments, and fibre use have markedly dwindled, contrasting with earlier epochs. However, the Cannabis seeds continue to be consumed in celebrative and symbolic dishes such as aghandz and tolma.

Conclusions: The recent decline in the medicinal use of Cannabis contrasts with earlier periods when access to pharmacological remedies was limited, and societal views of the plant were more positive. This shift can be partly attributed to the impact of legal restrictions. In contrast, the use of Cannabis seeds for alimentary purposed is importantly maintained nowadays. As medicinal use, fibre use has also declined, largely due to the availability of more competitive modern products. The loss of vernacular names over time, as detected in this study, also reflects the erosion of traditional knowledge, which correlates with diminishing use. Despite the small sample size and limited geographic scope, the combination of two approaches-information from contemporary informants and a systematic bibliographic review-has provided valuable insights into the changes in the traditional use of Cannabis in Armenia, that has not been explored in this way before.

Introduction: Chronic pain is common among Veterans, some of whom use cannabis for pain. We conducted a feasibility pilot study of a novel coaching intervention to help Veterans optimize use of medical cannabis products for pain management (NCT06320470).

Methods: The intervention drew from scientific literature, consultation with cannabis experts, Veteran input via a Community Advisory Board, and tenets of motivational interviewing. Participants were Veterans with chronic pain who endorsed current use or interest in using cannabis for pain management. Participants received up to 4 individual coaching sessions via videoconference, spaced approximately 2 weeks apart. We assessed feasibility (adherence, satisfaction, acceptability) and preliminary effects on pain symptoms 14 weeks after baseline. The primary outcome was the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC), and exploratory outcomes included domains from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-29.

Results: Of 22 enrolled participants, 17 attended 4 coaching sessions, 2 attended 3 sessions, and 2 attended 2 sessions. Among those who completed end of intervention surveys (16/21), 87.5% were very or completely satisfied with the intervention and 81.3% rated coaching as very or extremely helpful. All participants reported improvement on the PGIC, with 63% reporting much or very much improvement. Participants reported statistically significant decreased pain intensity (7.1/10 vs. 5.7/10) and pain interference (T-score 66.3 vs. 61.8), and increased social satisfaction (T-score 41.4 vs. 44.3). Participants noted helpful intervention factors, including co-developing a personalized plan, discussing questions/concerns, and trying different approaches to cannabis-based treatment.

Conclusions: In this feasibility pilot study of coaching on cannabis use for chronic pain among Veterans, participants were satisfied with the intervention and reported clinically significant improvements in pain symptoms. Our results support evaluating this intervention in a larger, efficacy trial.

As the human cannabinoid (CBD) market grows, there is an inevitable transfer of the same or similar products into the veterinary sector. Advances in veterinary medicine and care of companion animals has led to extended life expectancy and consequently, there is an increased incidence of age-related chronic conditions that compromise quality of life. CBD products may alleviate these conditions. Research into CBD for companion animal species is on the rise, however, we found that there are no licensed veterinary CBD products available in the market due to a lack of appropriate testing and/or data. Here we outline the data that is available and show that the regulatory, and safety considerations around these products needs further consideration and this encompasses many products currently available on the market. Changes in regulations and further research for quality assurance are paramount to distribution of safe and applicable products for companion animals.

Background: The effect of oral Cannabidiol (CBD) on interference during learning and memory (L&M) in healthy human volunteers has not been studied.

Method: A two-arm crossover, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo) to evaluate the effects of 246 mg oral CBD on L&M in healthy adults. Among 57 healthy volunteers enrolled, 35 were included in the analyses. For assessment of L&M, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) was used to evaluate verbal baseline cognitive function; RAVLT-R tests (List A and List B recalls, Proactive and Retroactive Interference ratios, and Forgetting Speed ratio) were used to evaluate verbal declarative memory; and total prose recall was used to evaluate verbal logical memory. Linear Mixed Models with Bonferroni Corrections were used to compare L&M results between primary outcomes (CBD vs. placebo) and secondary demographic outcomes, with a two-tailed statistical significance of P < 0.05.

Results: CBD administration did not affect any of the dependent variables measured compared to the placebo group. There were no effects of THC, history of CBD use, or sex on CBD's modulation of L&M. However, a highly significant interaction effect between treatment groups (CBD vs. placebo) and age of subjects was observed for the PI ratio (P = 0.008; n = 35).

Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that administration of oral CBD alone does not significantly impair L&M in healthy adults. However, age might influence CBD related modulation of proactive interference during human L&M. Future research involving a larger group of older adults is needed to confirm this potential effect.

Trial registration: The study was approved by the CSU Pueblo IRB, conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06074172).

The purpose of laboratory testing in the cannabis industry is to ensure public safety by preventing products that exceed hazardous limits of contaminants from reaching consumers, and to provide consumers with transparent and accurate label information so that they can make informed decisions when purchasing and using products. However, cannabis testing does not exist in a vacuum of incentives-some incentives exist that are in direct conflict with what is best for consumers. For example, cultivators and distributors will prefer to use the services of laboratories that find the highest THC concentrations or lowest contaminant concentrations, regardless of the accuracy of their testing results. Laboratories will, therefore, be incentivized to serve the cultivators and distributors over the end consumer. The present essay proposes a framework for quality assurance that combats these perverse incentives. The following proposed framework called the Peer-review Blinded Assay Test (P-BAT), is a validation process where each laboratory tests products from competing labs and their own lab, but in a blinded fashion to ensure that the label values of said products and the labs that produced said labels, are unknown. This system of blinded self-review and peer-review is designed to be cost-efficient, transparent, nearly self-funded, can be implemented in any state with two or more laboratories, and most importantly, it is trustless-there is no need to trust the behavior of any one actor or laboratory to serve as a "gold standard". While the primary objective of this process is to focus on laboratory performance, it will also highlight other common problems in the industry such as product adulteration by distributors and poor storge practices. Data from P-BAT should be publicly available so consumers can make informed decisions about their purchases based on the quality data derived from P-BAT. Doing so would further incentivize laboratories to serve and be accountable to the end consumer instead of cultivators and distributors.

Background: Cisplatin is an anti-cancer drug used to treat a plethora of solid tumors. However, it is associated with dose dependent nephrotoxicity limiting its use as anticancer agent.

Objective: The current study aimed to investigate the nephroprotective effect of native Lebanese Cannabis sativa in both in vitro and in vivo mice model of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Methods: Podocytes cell viability was assessed using MTS assay with cisplatin (30µM) in presence or absence of Cannabis oil extract (COE) at 0.5, 1 and 2µg/ml for 24h. Acute renal injury was established in adult female C57BL/6 mice with 20mg/kg, i.p. single dose cisplatin. Mice were divided into control group (vehicle), COE group, cisplatin group and cisplatin plus COE (2.5, 5 and 20mg/kg, i.p.). Animal body weight, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and proteinuria were measured.

Results: Cell viability assay and western blot analysis revealed that COE prevented apoptosis induced by cisplatin in cultured immortalized rat podocytes. In addition, in vitro scratch assay demonstrated the ability of COE to promote and restore the migratory capacity of podocytes in cisplatin-treated cells. Interestingly, COE treatment improved urinary and serum parameters characterized by a significant decrease in serum creatinine, urea, and proteinuria at various COE doses. Western blot analysis showed that COE inhibited COX-2 protein induction as well as apoptosis marker production (Bax/Bcl2 ratio) in cisplatin-treated mice when compared to mice treated with cisplatin alone.

Conclusion: Collectively, the aforementioned findings indicate that COE could be a promising approach to protect against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Background: Differences in cannabinoid metabolism and patient responses can arise even with equivalent doses and formulations. Genetic polymorphisms in genes responsible for cannabinoid metabolism and medications that alter CYP450 pathways responsible for metabolism of cannabinoids may account for some of this variability.

Materials and methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on a cohort of unselected patients who had previously completed pharmacogenomic testing and reported oral cannabis use, as defined as "oral" or "by mouth" route of administration. The objective was to identify atypical variants and medications in this cohort and formulate a hypothesis on how these variables influence the metabolism of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD).

Results: Oral cannabis use was confirmed in 71 patients, with an average age of 68.5 years, and primarily white women. Of the 71 patients, 10 had no atypical variants; 31 had atypical variants in CYP2C9; 37 had atypical variants in CYP2C19; 6 had atypical variants in CYP3A4; and 15 had atypical variants in CYP3A5. Of the 71 patients, 5 were taking medications that could interact with THC, and 8 were taking medications that could interact with CBD.

Conclusion: The results this study reveal the spectrum of hypothesized alterations in THC and CBD metabolism due to atypical genetic variants and medications. The absence of published clinical outcomes in this field renders it challenging to estimate clinical significance of these findings. Until such data become available, clinicians should remain aware of the possibility that atypical variants and medications may impact patients' responses to THC and CBD.

Angiogenesis is an intrinsic physiological process involving the formation of new capillaries from existing ones. Synthetic cannabinoids refer to a class of human-made chemicals that are primarily designed to mimic the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. Studies investigating the association between synthetic cannabinoids and cellular reactions are limited, and the available scientific evidence is insufficient. Consequently, the primary goal was to examine the effects of the synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-2201 on brain angiogenesis in vitro to provide a comprehensive analysis of MMB-2201's potential therapeutic or adverse effects on vascular development and related health conditions. Human Cerebral Microvascular Endothelial Cells (HBEC-5i) were incubated with MMB-2201, and their metabolic activity, migration rate, and tubular structure formation were examined. Expression levels of several angiogenesis-related proteins such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Angiopoietin-1 (ANG-1), and Angiopoietin-2 (ANG-2) were assessed using western blot, ELISA, and real-time PCR. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3β) at Ser9 induced by MMB-2201 was evaluated. HBEC-5i cells showed a significant increase in metabolic rate, enhanced migration, and sprouting of brain endothelial cells. Moreover, there was a noticeable increase in the mRNA and protein levels of VEGF, ANG-1, and ANG-2, as well as in the phosphorylation rate of GSK-3β at Ser9. This study paves the way for a novel pharmacological approach to addressing various angiogenesis-related diseases by targeting cannabinoid receptor type-1. Further exploration using different antagonists or agonists of cannabinoid receptors, depending on the specific characteristics of the disorders, may be necessary.

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) alters the gaseous composition of air surrounding packaged goods to prevent deleterious oxidation associated reactions. MAP has been adopted for the storage of cannabis, though a recent study revealed little difference in terpene content under MAP conditions. Questions regarding its efficacy for preservation of high value compounds like terpenes and cannabinoids lost during postharvest storage remain. The goal of this research is to determine weather N₂ MAP preserves high value compounds of cannabis during its postharvest storage. This experiment followed a completed randomized block design. There were two factors of interest. The first was storage atmosphere (atmospheric or N₂ MAP). The second was storage duration (18, 46, or 74 days). The experiment was then blocked by cannabis chemovar using 5 different chemovars. The concentration of 17 cannabinoids was evaluated through UPLC-UV and 61 volatile terpene compounds through GC-MS. Concentrations were compared over time and between storage treatments. There were no significant differences in total cannabinoids and volatile terpene compounds over time or between storage treatments. Individual cannabinoids Δ⁹-THC, CBG, CBNA, CBC, THCV, and THCVA all increased during storage time while THCA decreased. CBG and THCV only increased under MAP storage. Individual aromatics limonene, β-pinene, α-pinene, camphene, and terpinolene all only decreased during storage under N₂ MAP. Only caryophyllene oxide and α-humulene increased under N₂ MAP storage. β-Myrcene decreased under atmospheric storage, but not under N₂ MAP. While N₂ MAP had no effect on the preservation of total cannabinoids and aromatics during storage, it did influence several individual compounds. CBG, THCV, and α-humulene all increased under N₂ MAP. N2 MAP also maintained the concentration β-myrcene over time, though the preservation of β-myrcene was offset by a decrease limonene. Overall, N₂ MAP was not needed for preservation of most high value compounds but did have an effect of some compounds with reputed therapeutic benefits.