Cannabis drug 'fights pain without high'

BBC On Line ^ | Wednesday, 21 August, 2002 | Unsigned

[aculeus]

Scientists have developed a cannabis-based medicine which relieves chronic pain without any of the "high" normally associated with the drug.

They believe the discovery could pave the way for cannabis-based medication to become available by prescription within two years.

Much of the controversy surrounding the medicinal use of cannabis has centred on fears that it would be used solely for its mood-altering effects.

However, scientists at the University of Massachusetts in the United States say their discovery should help authorities to overcome these fears.

Dr Sumner Burstein and colleagues say early trials of the medication in animals and healthy patients have been promising.

The medication, called ajulemic acid or CT3, has been manufactured in laboratories.

It maximises the medicinal effects of tertrahydrocannabinol - the key ingredient of cannabis - without any of the mind-altering effects.

'More effective'

In animal tests, this compound was found to be between 10 to 50 times more effective at reducing pain than tetrahydrocannabinol.

Those tests showed that ajulemic acid was very effective at preventing the joint damage associated with arthritis and relieving the muscle stiffness associated with multiple sclerosis.

The compound was tested last year in 15 healthy volunteers in France. That study reported no side effects or mood changes in those participants.

A further trial on 21 patients with chronic severe pain is currently underway in Germany.

Dr Bernstein said the results of each study had been promising.

"The indications so far are that it is safe and effective," he said.

Dr Bernstein added that the compound could replace a wide variety of current medicines used to fight pain.

"We believe that [the compound] will replace aspirin and similar drugs in most applications primarily because of a lack of toxic side effects."

Dr Bernstein acknowledged that some patients may wish to experience the mood-altering effects of cannabis by taking this compound.

But speaking at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston, he added: "The medical community wants efficacy without this effect."

A spokeswoman for the UK's Medicinal Cannabis Research Foundation said: "We believe it would be premature to comment on the merits of ajulemic acid before more rigorous testing in patients has been carried out, but look forward to seeing the results after further study."

[AdA$tra]

But what's the point in that?

[WindMinstrel]

if it works on migraines, gimme some!

[KineticKitty]

My first thought was "What a shame" lol

But seriously, I hope this is good news for cancer sufferer's and the like.

[Dakmar]

Impossible, cannabis has no therapeutic effect. These "scientistist" are obviously just dopers trying to get us all hooked on Devil Weed.

[Lexington Green]

Pleasant side-effects are bad. Unpleasant side-effects are good. Enjoy your rectal bleeding.

[Physicist]

Have you tried Imitrex? My mother used to be incapacitated by migraines, but the drug changed her life. It works like a charm on me, too.

[southern rock]

Much of the controversy surrounding the medicinal use of cannabis has centred on fears that it would be used solely for its mood-altering effects.

Why that would cause fear, no one can explain.

[ECM]

Wow. This is terrific news.

There goes one argument in favor of legalizing drugs and I couldn't be happier :D

(waits for anti-drug war curmudgeons to start throwing stones)

[Lexington Green]

It works for migraines.

[steve50]

There have been several derivatives tried in the past, all are claimed to be less effective than the real thing. Of course since a company can "own" these products they will be promoted, and the campaign donations will flow freely.

[hobbes1]

Exactly. ROTFL...

[Physicist]

But what's the point in that?

Medicine has to taste bad to be effective.

[wasp69]

I'm not a mj smoker and really don't want it legalized but this is good news. Sounds almost like the best of both worlds for both sides of the mj issue.

[Neckbone]

Much of the controversy surrounding the medicinal use of cannabis has centred on fears that it would be used solely for its mood-altering effects. However, scientists at the University of Massachusetts in the United States say their discovery should help authorities to overcome these fears.

Oh yeah- kicking back on the couch, listening to a Jewel CD, and eating my weight in Chex Party Mix. These behaviors should all inspire fear within the medical establishment.

Instead of spending so much time figuring out how to prevent people from getting baked, you'd think they would work on that whole cancer thing, ya know?

[Physicist]

There goes one argument in favor of legalizing drugs and I couldn't be happier

Of course, they will probably need some pretty big pot plantations to support the production of this drug, which means that there will have to be a mechanism created by which the commercial growing of ganja can be legalized. So it's doubly good news!

[EBUCK]

Hey, they figured out a way to synthetically re-produce the natural effects of MJ at 200 times the cost to the user!!!

EBUCK

[AdA$tra]

Ping :-)

[ECM]

Ah, but what if there's a way to simply synthesize the active substance in a lab?

;)

[Dakmar]

Make that 500 times the cost.