Cannabinoids for the treatment of rheumatic diseases – where do we stand?

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As medical use of cannabis is increasingly legalized worldwide, a better understanding of the medical and hazardous effects of this drug is imperative. The pain associated with rheumatic diseases is considered a prevalent indication for medicinal cannabis in various countries. The potential medicinal effects of cannabis could be attributable to its influence on the immune system, as it exerts an immunomodulatory effect on various immune cells, including T cells, B cells and macrophages.

Review article: the endocannabinoid system in liver disease, a potential therapeutic target

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Endocannabinoids are a family of potent lipid-soluble molecules, acting on the cannabinoid (CB) receptors that mediate the effects of marijuana. The CB receptors, endocannabinoids and the enzymes involved in their synthesis and degradation are located in the brain and peripheral tissues, including the liver. The endocannabinoid system plays an important role in the pathophysiology of liver disease and its associated conditions. While some drugs targeting the endocannabinoid system have deleterious neurological adverse events, there is promise for a newer generation of therapies that do not cross the blood-brain barrier.

Therapeutic approach to pain in neurodegenerative diseases: current evidence and perspectives

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Neurodegenerative diseases are increasing in parallel to the lengthening of survival. The management of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias, Parkinson’s disease (PD) and PD-related disorders, and motor neuron diseases (MND), is mainly targeted to motor and cognitive impairment, with special care for vital functions such as breathing and feeding. Pain needs to be better evaluated and fully considered in the global management of neurodegenerative disease because a more focused treatment may have a positive impact on the global burden of these devastating disorders

Efficacy, Tolerability, and Safety of Cannabinoid Treatments in the Rheumatic Diseases: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

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To assess the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of cannabinoids (phyto- and syntheto-) in the management of rheumatic diseases. Pain relief and effect on sleep may have some potential therapeutic benefit, but with considerable mild to moderate adverse events. There is currently insufficient evidence to recommend cannabinoid treatments for management of rheumatic diseases pending further study.

Heavy Cannabis Use Associated With Reduction in Activated and Inflammatory Immune Cell Frequencies in Antiretroviral Therapy-Treated Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Individuals

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Cannabis is a widely used drug in the United States, and the frequency of cannabis use in the human immuno deficiency virus (HIV)-infected population is disproportionately high. Previous human and macaque studies suggest that cannabis may have an impact on plasma viral load; however, the relationship between cannabis use and HIV-associated systemic inflammation and immune activation has not been well defined. While the clinical implications are unclear, our findings suggest that cannabis use is associated with a potentially beneficial reduction in systemic inflammation and immune activation in the context of antiretroviral-treated HIV infection.

Patient Perceptions of the Use of Medical Marijuana in the Treatment of Pain After Musculoskeletal Trauma: A Survey of Patients at 2 Trauma Centers in Massachusetts

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To evaluate musculoskeletal trauma patients’ beliefs regarding the usefulness of marijuana as a valid medical treatment for postinjury and postoperative pain and anxiety. The majority of patients in this study believed that medical marijuana is a valid treatment and that it does have a role in reducing postinjury and postoperative pain. Those patients who used marijuana during their recovery felt that it alleviated symptoms of pain and reduced their opioid intake.

Standardized Cannabis sativa extract attenuates tau and stathmin gene expression in the melanoma cell line

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Metastasis is the main cause of death in patients with melanoma. Cannabis-based medicines are effective adjunctive drugs in cancer patients. Here we have investigated the effect of a standardized Cannabis sativa extract on cell migration and Tau and Stathmin gene expression in the melanoma cell line. Cannabis sativa decreased tau and stathmin gene expression and cancer metastasis. The results may have some clinical relevance for the use of cannabis-based medicines in patients with metastatic melanoma.

Associations between medical cannabis and prescription opioid use in chronic pain patients: A preliminary cohort study

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Current levels and dangers of opioid use in the U.S. warrant the investigation of harm-reducing treatment alternatives. A preliminary, historical, cohort study was used to examine the association between enrollment in the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program (MCP) and opioid prescription use. The clinically and statistically significant evidence of an association between MCP enrollment and opioid prescription cessation and reductions and improved quality of life warrants further investigations on cannabis as a potential alternative to prescription opioids for treating chronic pain.

Cannabis Roots: A Traditional Therapy with Future Potential for Treating Inflammation and Pain

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The roots of the cannabis plant have a long history of medical use stretching back millennia. However, the therapeutic potential of cannabis roots has been largely ignored in modern times. In the first century, Pliny the Elder described in Natural Histories that a decoction of the root in water could be used to relieve stiffness in the joints, gout, and related conditions.