Posted on 08/13/2005 12:00:36 PM PDT by traumer
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Derivatives of the active compound in cannabis -- cannabinoids -- may have the potential for treating inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, UK researchers report.
"The system that responds to cannabis in the brain is present and functioning in the lining of the gut," lead researcher Dr. Karen Wright, of the University of Bath, explained to Reuters Health. "There is an increased presence of one component of this system during inflammatory bowel diseases," she explained.
Wright and her colleagues established the location of cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 in human colon tissue, and used human colon cell lines to investigate the binding of cannabinoid compounds and in wound-healing experiments. They report their findings in the journal Gastroenterology
The team found that CB2 was increased in colonic tissue characteristic of inflammatory bowel disease. Cannabinoids enhanced surface wound closure via CB1-related mechanisms.
"Cannabinoids, which we make ourselves, as well as synthetic cannabinoids, can promote wound healing in the gut, which is extremely interesting given that inflammatory bowel disease involves damaged gut linings," Wright said.
Although results are available yet, she added, relevant studies of the use of cannabinoids are taking place in the UK and a clinical trial is being conducted in Germany.
"When you screw your mind up to that degree, you will do damage to people around you. Maybe only in the form of neglect, if not anything else."
Is that a good reason to outlaw booze? To get the government involved? Because booze *might possibly* cause somebody to neglect another person?
Good God, what has happened to conservatives?
Such a well thought out and interesting rebuttal, newbie! LOL!!!
Maybe you'd care to impress us all with your insights...
I don't believe the crap put out about how addictive pot is... If so, then I must really have an iron will, for being able to "beat my addiction!" I know for a fact that I don't have an iron will... So show me exactly where you get your assertions.
Mark
Personal experience with other addicts.
Actually, there is one group that would be extremely happy by finding a cure, or at least, a less damaging way to treat the symptoms of IBD... The sufferers of the IBDs themselves! I can tell you that we endure numerous, uncomfortable (some are rather painful), and for some people, humiliating tests, to try to keep functioning. If there were a treatment developed, we'd be thrilled.
Mark
I wish you had ulcerative colitis for a few days, just to see what it's like.
OK, so you admit that you're just using YOUR annecdotal evidence... So what makes YOUR annecdotal evidence any better than mine? Oh, I know... It's because I used to do pot, and it's permanantly damaged my perception of reality, right?
Get off it. Pot kills initiative, and while I'm sure that there are a few people who really are addicted to it, I've got no doubt that their addictive personalities would get them addicted to something: If not pot, then something else.
I'm sorry, but I've also known some "addicts" over the years, and these are people who simply aren't willing to make the effort to change their lives. I've also known some addicts who came to terms with their addictions, and switched their addictions to something far less dangerous, for instance, from alcohol to religion. And one person I know who's done this has been on the wagon for more than 15 years now.
Mark
Life is better with a clear mind, and a clear conscience. In fact, try Jesus, he's the greatest high known to man. You can get high without being on drugs, and you can have total control of your facilities. Your body will be healthier, so your chances of longer life is greater.
Not only that, even when you do go through pain, you know that "all things work together for good to those who love God." That means when you do die, you're not just a wasted human life. You have an eternal life in heaven, not to mention a life full of good and honesty on earth. So you'll not have that overriding burden of guilt in your life. You'll have the strength to face up to your problems, with the power of God's Holy Spirit, and you'll not have to run from them into a bottle or with a pill. And you can speak your mind with truly no fear. Have you ever really had no fear for any long period in your life? I do many times.
Read my tag-line. I used to be a drunk and a pothead, with nothing to show for it but the lives I was ruining. Now I have eternal peace. You'll never get that from any amount of drugs.
There is power in the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus rules, man! Eternal happiness and peace. Why turn that down?
I wrote this poem. It has to do with my victory over drugs in my life with the help of Jesus.
Walking In The Spirit
1 Corinthians 6:20
When I walk in the Spirit
My mind is sound.
When I read and obey His Word,
His blessings are profound.
And what I've found
(or what has found me)
is deeper than the bluest sea.
In Christ is mercy,
and blessings in His commands;
which you cannot understand
in the World's or Satan's hands.
When you stand before your Maker,
on that judgment day,
will you know His Word?
Did He guide you in the narrow way?
Too confident is the flesh.
And so the Word of God is all to know
to walk in the spirit,
and to have works to throw
when at the feet in eternal days
of Him worthy of all praise.
Whatever.
The article is clear that synthetic canabinoids would/will work in the same manner. Marinol would be a better delivery system than smoking dope, and smoking dope has greater risks than cigarette smoking. So, I don't think you have to worry about Wright's team advocating lighting up doobies. A non-steriodal treatment for Crohns would be welcome as the complications from Prednisone use often turn out to be more detrimental to the health of Crohns sufferers than the disease itself.
I thought Bill Clinton wanted pot legal. I wonder why?
Care to put that premise to the test against the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and organizations like jointogether.org?
Not possibly, definitely. We are talking about the mind here. Very powerful. Should we legalize driving with a blindfold on just because some crazy people like to? Drugs are a blindfold for your mind. Your mind is your life. Think about it.
Why do all the kooks come out in force for the pro-dope side. I swear internet people are 75% pot addled losers.
You seem to have it all figured out. I'll tell you what... The next time you need surgery, be sure to tell the doctors that you don't need any anesthetic, since Jesus is the greatest high known to man.
Congratulations of finding a way out of your problems with drugs and alcohol. But what we're talking about here is the possibility of finding a treatment for a group of terrible diseases, which run the gamut of being painful and embarrassing, to taking the lives of people. And there are a group of people here on FR, as well as all over the world, who insist that NO REASEARCH should be done, since "pot is bad."
This thread did not start with a screed on legalizing pot, although the drug warriors show up immediately when the see the letters P, O, and T. We're not talking about legalizing pot... That's just a sideshow. You may have read some of the stories about what people go through when they live with IBD. Oh, and something else alot of people don't realize, either. When you live with an IBD, your chances for developing colo-rectal cancer also sky-rocket. So that's just a little bonus for those of us who live with these diseases.
Mark
You are laboring under a gross misconception, sir. I'm no druggie. I don't do drugs, never have. But I hate the Federal encroachment into every facet of our lives.
Is it so inconceivable to you that I might recognize the right of others to do a thing that I might not personally want to do? Do you really not recognize the rights of others?
Is liberty for you merely a governmental license to pursue your own personal interests?
That's an extremely selfish, petty and limiting view of freedom. It's not really freedom at all.
It's where the right and left come together - both sides have an interest in using the state to enforce their own personal preferences. I expect that nonsense from libs, and I detest it from "conservatives" who ought to know better.
Read my earlier post. I already said if you can find a good medical use for it, use it. Pot can't be any worse than oxycotin, can it?
I'm talking about abuse here, not legitimate medical use. I'm glad you don't use drugs. So why would you think that the right to enslave one's self to drugs is freedom? Freedom is being off of drugs, that is why you don't abuse them. Freedom is not doing something just because you think you'll get pleasure in it. Pleasure now could mean way less pleasure later. I don't subscribe to your theory that drug usage is a victimless crime. Drug users affect all whom they come in contact with.
Actually, I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. My mother had UC, it it pretty much ruined her life. I have Crohns Disease, and it certainly affects how I have to live my life.
For instance, I can not go anywhere without first making a note of where the restrooms are. If I'm going to be doing anything that day where I won't be home, I have to be sure not to eat, or drink anything, other than my meds. If I've eaten, I may have to dash to a restroom, and that's just not possible when I'm working or traveling. So I eat just one meal a day. And I'm lucky if I can sleep more than 3 hours at a time, without having to get up to use the bathroom. I take a theraputic dose of 20 mg prednisone a day, and have done so for more than 20 years. How do you explain the terrible side effects of prednisone over long periods of time? Of course, when I have a flare-up, I have to increase that dose to 50 or 60 mg, then taper it back down. How do I know when I've got a flare up? Bleeding. Lots of blood! The last time I had a flare-up, I was working at a bank, and I had to pay to replace a chair. And then I was off of work for 4 days. And then there's the Crohns Disease sufferer's friend, rheumatoid arthritis, just to remind you that it's there...
Yup, I can see why people like nmh wouldn't want any research into treatments for IBD if they might involve pot. It's such a walk in the park.
Mark
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