Posted on 07/01/2016 6:11:28 AM PDT by Wolfie
Marijuana compound removes toxic Alzheimer's protein from the brain
An active compound in marijuana called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been found to promote the removal of toxic clumps of amyloid beta protein in the brain, which are thought to kickstart the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
The finding supports the results of previous studies that found evidence of the protective effects of cannabinoids, including THC, on patients with neurodegenerative disease.
"Although other studies have offered evidence that cannabinoids might be neuroprotective against the symptoms of Alzheimer's, we believe our study is the first to demonstrate that cannabinoids affect both inflammation and amyloid beta accumulation in nerve cells," says one of the team, David Schubert from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California.
Schubert and his colleagues tested the effects of THC on human neurons grown in the lab that mimic the effects of Alzheimer's disease.
If you're not familiar with this special little compound, it’s not only responsible for the majority of marijuana's psychological effects - including the high - thanks to its natural pain-relieving properties, it’s also been touted as an effective treatment for the symptoms of everything from HIV and chemotherapy to chronic pain, post traumatic stress disorder, and stroke.
In fact, THC appears to be such an amazing medical agent, researchers are working on breeding genetically modified yeast that can produce it way more efficiently than it would be to make synthetic versions.
The compound works by passing from the lungs to the bloodstream, where it attaches to two types of receptors, cannabinoid receptor (CB) 1 and 2, which are found on cell surfaces all over the body.
In the brain, these receptors are most concentrated in neurons associated with pleasure, memory, thinking, coordination and time perception, and usually bind with a class of lipid molecules called endocannabinoids that are produced by the body during physical activity to promote cell-to-cell signalling in the brain.
But THC can also bind to them in much the same way, and when they do, they start messing with your brain's ability to communicate with itself. The can be a good and a bad thing, because while you might forget something important or suddenly be incapable of swinging a baseball bat, you'll probably feel amazing, and want to eat all the snacks.
Over the years, research has suggested that by binding to these receptors, THC could be having another effect on ageing brains, because it appears to helps the body clear out the toxic accumulations - or 'plaques' - of amyloid beta.
No one's entirely sure what causes Alzheimer's disease, but it’s thought to result from a build-up of two types of lesions: amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.
Amyloid plaques sit between the neurons as dense clusters of beta-amyloid molecules - a sticky type of protein that easily clumps together - and neurofibrillary tangles are caused by defective tau proteins that clump up into a thick, insoluble mass in the neurons.
It’s not clear why these lesions begin to appear in the brain, but studies have linked inflammation in the brain tissue to the proliferation of plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. So if we can find something that eases brain inflammation while at the same time encourages the body to clear out these lesions, we could be on the way to finding the first effective treatment for Alzheimer's ever.
Back in 2006, researchers at the Scripps Research Institute found that THC inhibits the formation of amyloid plaques by blocking the enzyme in the brain that produces them, and now Schubert and his team have demonstrated that it can also eliminate a dangerous inflammatory response from the nerve cells, ensuring their survival.
"Inflammation within the brain is a major component of the damage associated with Alzheimer's disease, but it has always been assumed that this response was coming from immune-like cells in the brain, not the nerve cells themselves," says one of the team, Antonio Currais.
"When we were able to identify the molecular basis of the inflammatory response to amyloid beta, it became clear that THC-like compounds that the nerve cells make themselves may be involved in protecting the cells from dying."
It's exciting stuff, but it's so far only been demonstrated in neurons in the lab, so the next step will be for Schubert and his team to observe the link between THC and reduced inflammation and plaque build-up in a clinical trial. And they've reportedly already found a drug candidate called J147 that appears to have the same effects as THC, so this might be the way they can test the effects of THC without the government getting in the way.
The results have been published in Aging and Mechanisms of Disease.
But great news either way.
I would prefer to eat it in a brownie rather than take a pill.
AMEN!
According to that logic, we shouldn't be using opiates as medically prescribed pain killers either, because they numb the mind (more so than THC, and much more addictive). I never understood the mindset of people who defend the medical (and even recreational) use of some classes of drugs while getting hysterical over others.
Lol, all the potheads I ever met were nearly indistinguishable from Alzheimer’s patients. It must be that marijuana removes the Alzheimer’s protein and replaces it with something worse.
Primarily, we are interested in you
But, your treatment is of interest and a report once in a while is of interest
It sounds like it causes the same type of impairment that it’s trying to cure. I’m a bit confused.
No kidding. Dope smokers are a special type of stupid. Tommy Chong’s performances in movies aren’t an act.
I know several in the tech business, that while probably not daily users probably use twice a week or more.
They are all very successful and some are richly so.
I thought that Marijuana was a schedule 1 controlled substance, making it illegal to even possess, let alone research.
So when are these researchers in California going to be arrested and charged with possession, manufacturing, and running an illegal drug lab?
Those reasons are why nobody in the pharmaceutical industry did any research into the compounds contained in Marijuana.
That’s one reason why the majority of drugs of certain classes are all derivatives of cocaine and opium. The feds have lower restrictions on coke and heroin than plain pot
Either way the results is addlepation.
and dropping a square of 80=90% chocolate in if good also
Anything which destroys rationality in a person-—clouds the mind, so to say—is evil in my book. Anything which destroys the ability of man to think clearly is evil, since it destroys that which elevates man above animal: Reason. That is why Common Core is Evil—(and intentionally so), since it destroys the ability of children to be coherent and think critically for themselves. (It is worse than drugs even, since it is permanent confusion/irrationality for life, a complete brainwashing/”Rape of the Mind”).
I would NEVER do anything intentionally to destroy the functioning of my brain, which impairs rationality. Free Will only exists with Wisdom and the ability to think clearly and coherently. Vice (drunkedness, so a person is incapable of exercising Free Will (true choice)— creates slaves. (Aristotle/Aquinas). Slavery wastes my precious time.
I guess it is because of my sister who blew her brains out with a gun——at age 19. She was doing all sorts of drugs at the time, and had problems with concentration, and was thinking of dropping out of school, since she couldn’t remember anything.
I just happen to be very Socratic and believe that the most brilliant, happy “Life”-—the one worth living—is an intellectual one: That which elevates the intellect, never destroys it. The intellect is which differentiates us from that pathetic slave and doggy (worthless) life. Without Virtue (control of base emotions by the intellect), there is absolutely no Freedom. Why should I ever want to dull the intellect? (I don’t-—ever—not with a faith in God).
I love Freedom—true Freedom—and that is never an escape from Reality and have other substances taking control of my Mind......although the understanding of Truth (God/Reality) will always be incomprehensible (if that makes any sense to you. LOL).
Medical research? I have listened to credible psychiatrists who claimed (with data) that children smoking weed will have at least 8 IQ points lowered. Culture always sifts down onto the children-—doesn’t it. It is why toxic cultures (like the vulgar, drug-filled, homoerotic Weimar Republic created the Hitler Youth Mindset). Cultures create “desires” and “attitudes”. You can NEVER avoid the effects of promoting behaviors which destroy and impair Natural functions PARTICULAR THINKING COHERENTLY and that which destroys motivation (work ethic), and if they affect the IQ of the future generations it is particularly troubling.
I am a Libertarian (anarchist almost)-—but do believe that all Just Systems (free systems) have to promote “public virtue” in all their laws (like our Founders/John Marshall). As Cicero knew—when you promote vice in “Law”, you will collapse civil society (and freedom)l.
US government is suppose to only promote Truth (Natural Law/God’s Laws) and I hear lies about the “safety” of MJ all the time (some pedestrian was just killed by a driver who had been smoking weed).
Anytime you are putting that much smoke/toxins into the body which even affects the Mind in incoherent ways, can not be “good” and “healthy” and “natural” and productive for society. Science doesn’t even understand Tylenol or Aspirin and you “know” the “truth” about smoking Marijuana?????? or believe some so-called scientific “expert”. LOL.
Habits of Virtue (excellence) need to be instilled in children (Aristotle). Without Virtue, freedom is impossible. That is what Libertarians don’t seem to understand....that Virtue is essential to Freedom. Vice is slavery only. So—that is why Montesquieu stated that a “Justice” System ONLY promotes public virtue at all times which includes Truth (Natural Laws which include God’s Design (Laws) of the Human body (Science/Biology)). Drugging/impairing the mind is never a “good” and “virtuous” thing in Life, without acute medical necessity.
That's aimple answer. It's not about the drugs, it's about who uses them.
Cacao. No sugar. :)
I don’t remember.
I've known a few. A couple were burned out losers, and would have been burned-out losers without pot. A couple were average Joe's who used pot on occasion, and you'd never know it, and one guy who was a highly functioning go-getter with more energy and drive than I'll ever have (and pot was the only drug he'd use besides smoking cigarettes - no alcohol or other, harder drugs).
I think it's certainly more up to the person smoking it, than the product itself.
I used to be a heavy toker, and do admit that there are downside effects; most especially, an overall "slacker" type attitude towards life, and an avoidance of conflict to the point of ineffectiveness. Again, that is with heavy use. Although I was a heavy user and immersed in the culture, I would get in arguments with my cohorts who believed that it was natural and healthy, and touted its cure-all properties. Knowing that there are vaporized and pharmocological methods of delivery, there is no way that smoking pot can be considered healthy. Introducing any kind of carbon based smoke into one's lungs on a daily basis, via joint, pipe, or bong, is never healthy. My suspicion is that non-smoking lung cancer sufferers didn't get it from "second-hand smoke", but through constant pot smoking.
There’s no evidence that it “reverses” the damage done to neurons, and once neurons are lost, they aren’t replaced.
While this might slow the progress of dementia, it is no cure.
Raising a type of yeast to produce the compound is the precursor to producing the active ingredient in pill or capsule form, maybe even a skin delivery system.
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