For many years before pharmaceutical drugs were founded, a holistic approach to medicine was the only way to treat sickness and disease. Plants and herbs produced by the Earth were found to have many healing properties and with the production of cannabidiol (CBD) oil clinical researchers are seeing the same holistic advances today. CBD oil is derived from a natural cannabis plant containing no THC and benefitting many people across the globe. Through clinical research CBD oil has been founded to relieve chronic pain, aid in reducing anxiety, as well as prevent Alzheimer's disease from developing further.
Researchers compiled multiple trials and studies of CBD and general chronic pain. The research concluded that there was a positive correlation between CBD us and the decrease of chronic pain. CBD activates anandamide, a compound found in the endocannabinoid system, which regulates pain within the body.
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CBD has caught the attention of many scientists who have performed many studies on animals and humans. Clinical and experimental studies suggest that CBD has strong anti-anxiety properties. Often someone struggling with anxiety has a lack of serotonin in the synaptic space. To target the serotonin system, a drug was developed called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). SSRIs work by inhibiting the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain, which is exactly what CBD was also found to do. Increasing the availability of serotonin in the synaptic space, by consuming CBD, helps the brain cells transmit more serotonin signals which can reduce anxiety and boost mood. In an animal study performed by Spanish researchers, they concluded that CBD enhances serotonin faster than SSRIs, making it an excellent alternative drug. Although the majority if the studies were performed on mice, the preclinical studies provide positive results of being an alternative to pharmaceutical
CBD is just one compound in about 80 active chemicals in the marijuana plant. Unlike THC the psychoactive cannabinoid in marijuana that makes you high, CBD is non-psychoactive. Medical marijuana is grown specifically for its high concentration of THC, but hemp is bred to contain the lowest concentrations of THC. So, when you buy CBD hemp oil rather than that made from medical marijuana, you are getting oil high in CBD with practically no significant amount of THC.
One out of every 20 Americans will become depressed this year. This is obviously a very major and serious problem. St. John’s Wort’s main ingredient, hypericin, is what appears to help alleviate mild to moderate depression, although not much is known about whether or not it proves helpful in severe depression. Hypericin is the red pigment of the plant and it seems to inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) and the breakdown of the brain’s neurotransmitters and is also a SRI, serotonin reuptake inhibitor. However, according to Jean Carper in Miracle Cures, “recent research finds hypericin less potent an antidepressant than the whole plant extract itself, suggesting the herb’s complex mixture of chemicals, including xanthones and flavonoids, also are critical in the plant’s pharmacological benefits”.
Thesis: Despite its legal status cannabis and CBD has been recognized as being beneficial in many ways. After all, cannabis and CBD has been medically beneficial when treating pain, seizures, and cancer.
Gibbons V. Ogden, Heart of Atlanta, the Daniel Ball, and Solid Waste V. Army Corps of Engineers are all cases that have one thing common, Commerce; but, how do any of these cases relate to the legalization of marijuana in states like Colorado and Washington? There are a variety of different types of commerce, but the two main types that I have studied are interstate commerce and intrastate commerce. Interstate commerce is essentially the trade between goods across state borders, and intrastate is quite similar to interstate state commerce, but the buying and selling happens within state borders. Although these cases may not have anything to do with the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and
While cannabis still has its own risks, it’s overall a much safer option to treat chronic pain. Plus, when patients take the correct strain and dose, it doesn’t get them high. Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the non-psychoactive elements of cannabis that balances out THC—the psychoactive component. Many strains are meant to help relieve pain as well as improve mental clarity so patients can go about their daily lives. Compared to recreational users, patients need miniscule amounts of medical cannabis to obtain relief.
The article discussed several potential health benefits to medical cannabis. For example, medical marijuana can be used to test glaucoma by slowing the progression of the disease and preventing blindness. It can help control epileptic seizures and decrease the symptoms of a severe seizure disorder known as Dravet’s Syndrome. The chemical CBD may help prevent cancer from spreading. In addition, it may decrease anxiety, ease the pain from multiple sclerosis, and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Medical marijuana may lessen the side effects from treating some illnesses such as hepatitis C. It has also been used to alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, and promote
The first major study conducted on the matter in the United states found that St John’s wort had negligible benefits on patients with major depression with no statistically significant benefits more then those produced by a placebo (Shelton). However other studies have “proved”, not only that St. John’s Wort is more successful in treatment of patients with depression, but that It is actually similarly or more effective than some tri-cyclic prescription antidepressants (Linde). The apparent contradictions in research findings are confusing and provide little help to a patient or doctor in deciding whether to use St John’s Wort as a treatment for depression.
Sewell, Ranganathan, & D’Souza’s (2009) peer reviewed journal article discusses the possible link, if any, between using cannabis and experiencing psychosis. This article discussed how cannabis was likely to temporarily cause symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia in “healthy individuals” and increase the symptoms in patients already diagnosed with schizophrenia although they were stable on medications (p.153). However, the authors put emphasis on the variations from individual to individual and variations depending on the dosage of cannabis smoked. Sewell, Ranganathan & D’Souza (2009) also noted that cannabinoids have the ability to modify neurotransmitter release through activating presynaptic cannabinoid receptors (p.155). Furthermore, they declared the ability of cannabinoids to alter the functioning of dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate in the brain. (p. 155-156). Going deeper, this article proposes that individuals with a family history of schizophrenia may be more prone to the psychosis that may appear ...
3rd Ed. New York; Plenum Medical, 143-57 Watson, S. J., Benson, J. A. & Joy, J. E. (2000). Marijuana and medicine: Assessing the science base. Archives of General Psychiatry, 57, 547-552. Tashkin, D. P. (1990).
Not surprisingly, serotonin is implicated in a broad range of serotonin disorders like depression, schizophrenia, and Parkinson's disease (3).. Serotonin deficiencies have been one of the factors to blame for ailments such as anorexia, bulimia, obsessive compulsive disorders, migraines, social phobias and schizophrenia. (9). (12). I am not taking a stance that serotonin has its hand in all of these different pots, but after the research that I have completed for this paper, I feel comfortable talking about serotonin in reference to depression. No one can say for certain what exactly "causes" depression. But in this paper, I hope to give further insight into serotonin's specific role as a possible predeterminant for major depression and some hopes for those suffering from this illness.
Marijuana has a long medical history, ranging from its anecdotal use in ancient times, through medical prescribing in the 19th and early 20th centuries to modern. "The first record of cannabis as a medicine can be found in the oldest Chinese pharmacopeia, Shen Nag Ben Cao Jing, written in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 AD to 220 AD). It was indicated for rheumatic pain, malaria, constipation, and disorders of the female reproductive system" (Greenwell, 2012, Vol. 26 Issue 1). Pain is one of the most common reasons that medical cannabis is recommended. "Scientists have long known that tetrahydracannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana, is an effective pain killer" (Mcdonagh, 2003). Studies of medical marijuana show significant improvement in various types of pain. "Marijuana appears to exert its pain relieving effects by acting on certain sites in the brain and spinal nerves. These specific sites are called cannabinoid receptors. The cannabinoid compound connects to these receptors, much like two puzzle pieces fitting together. Once, joined, the receptor alters the way the brain cell or nerve cell functions. This alteration of function changes the way the cell perceives painful stimulus, often reducing the intensity of pain that is interpreted by the brain" (Greenwell, 2012, Vol. 26 Issue 1). "The effect that cannabinoid compounds have on the cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) found in the brain can create varying pharmacologic responses based on formulation and patient characteristics" (Borgelt, Franson, & Nussbaum, 2013). Several small clinical studies have confirmed the usefulness of THC, which at doses of 15 to 20mg was found to be comparable to 60 to 120mg pharmaceutical painkillers. But which form of pain manag...
Cannabis, popularized by its dried and leafy counterpart called marijuana, has been used for thousands of years in various regions of the world ranging from Asia to South America for its psychoactive and medicinal properties. It has become a popular recreational drug all over the world, second only to alcohol. It is believed that “over 100 million Americans have tried Cannabis, with 25 million Americans having used it within the past year” (Norml 2013). The main chemicals in Cannabis are cannabinoids which activate the cannabinoid receptors in the central nervous system. The primary cannabinoids responsible for the characteristic effects of marijuana are THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, which is primarily liable for the effects of relaxation, euphoria, shift in perception, and increased anxiety or paranoia. In addition to the commonly known side effects, one interesting consequence of using marijuana is its effects on sleeping behavior and quality of sleep.
Marijuana relieves the pain, as it has been proven to also cure diseases. In the article, Three Puffs a Day Helped People With Nerve Pain, Study Finds, Kathleen Doheny says, “three puffs a day of cannabis, better known as marijuana, helps people with chronic
Medically, marijuana has proven to be a productive drug. Studies show marijuana has helped dealing with “pain, muscle spasms, seizure disorders and nausea from cancer chemotherapy.” (Weir) Scientist believes these benefits come from a chemical compound in marijuana called cannabidiol. This chemical is not the active chemical that gives marijuana users the mind-altering effects. With the unce...
As of 2016, 25 states and the District of Columbia have approved medical marijuana. Despite numerous efforts by the medical community and the general public, the medical use of cannabis remains illegal throughout the United States. Medically prescribed marijuana should be legalized as it has proven to aid millions of patients that are undertaking arduous battles against chronic illnesses, both by treating symptoms and by mitigating adverse side effects of the treatment.