cannabisnews.com: Cannabis Can Slow Narrowing of Arteries Cannabis Can Slow Narrowing of Arteries Posted by CN Staff on April 06, 2005 at 19:47:57 PT By Nigel Hawkes Source: Times Online UK The active ingredient in cannabis protects arteries against harmful changes that lead to strokes and heart attacks, new research suggests. THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is known to affect the brain and make cannabis-users “high”. The new research shows that it also has an influence on blood vessels. A study of mice revealed that the compound blocks the process of inflammation, which is largely responsible for the narrowing of arteries. Inflammation combines with fatty deposits to produce obstructive “plaques”, a condition known as atherosclerosis. These can block arteries to the heart, causing angina and heart attacks, or to the brain, leading to strokes. Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of heart disease and stroke in the Western world, accounting for up to half the deaths from both conditions. The scientists, led by François Mach, from Geneva University Hospital in Switzerland, studied a strain of specially bred mice that are susceptible to narrowing of the arteries. They were fed a high-cholesterol diet to make them develop atherosclerotic plaques. Adding THC to their diet caused the growth of the obstructions in their arteries to slow markedly after 11 months. When the mice were given a chemical that blocked the action of THC, their arteries continued to narrow at a fast rate. Writing in Nature, the scientists point out that the THC doses used were low — too low to cause the mice to get “high”. They wrote: “Our results suggest that cannabinoid derivatives with activity at the CB2 receptor may be valuable clinical targets for treating atherosclerosis.” Michael Roth, an American critical-care expert from the University of California at Los Angeles, urged caution when considering cannabis as a heart disease therapy. “The findings. . . are striking, but they should not be taken to mean that smoking marijuana is beneficial to the heart,” Professor Roth wrote in an accompanying article. “The dose response curve to THC in this study was very narrow and U-shaped, with higher and lower concentrations failing to produce protective effects. “It would be difficult to achieve such specific concentrations in the blood by smoking marijuana. Also, no studies have been performed in humans to evaluate the effects of THC on atherosclerosis.” He added that the effects of THC on the brain, where it binds to a different receptor protein, could counteract its benefit to the heart.The Dope on MarijuanaThe cannabis plant grows wild in many parts of the world. Cultivation dates back thousands of years Cannabis-based drugs are being developed to treat the symptoms of multiple sclerosis and to serve as painkillers for a variety of conditions, including cancer The decision by the Home Office to categorise cannabis as a soft drug is being reconsidered after long-term studies suggested that it increases the risk of schizophrenia Present-day cannabis, the result of selective breeding, is reckoned to be more potent than that smoked by the flower-power generation Source: Times Online (UK)Author: Nigel HawkesPublished: April 07, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Times Newspapers Ltd.Contact: debate thetimes.co.uk Website: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/Related Article & Web Site:Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htm Marijuana Ingredient Slows Heart Disease http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20469.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #21 posted by runderwo on April 07, 2005 at 19:22:05 PT Heart disease Remember that smoking causes an intake of carbon monoxide (CO). This molecule replaces oxygen in the blood, which potentially starves the heart muscle when it is working hard. That said, I doubt there is a significant problem with pure, high quality cannabis here. A few puffs of cannabis does not burn anywhere near the amount of material in even one cigarette, so where would the CO come from? An additional problem specific to tobacco is that the nicotine constricts blood passages, causing the heart to work harder at the same time that CO intake is robbing it of its needed oxygen. Cannabis dilates blood passages, so while the heart rate is increased, there is little indication that the heart is actually being worked harder in this situation, and in any case the intake of CO is miniscule, unless the product being used is simply very poor. [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by runderwo on April 07, 2005 at 19:14:08 PT DC ads The pro-cannabis ads that were pulled off the subways in Washington DC specifically promoted cannabis as a sexual aid. Something like "Want Better Sex? Try Marijuana". [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by Sam Adams on April 07, 2005 at 11:19:56 PT Schmefff hahaha, good one! That would be a great day, when herbal medicine rules, and Big Pharm is left to try to liken their products to plants. Instead of trying to shoehorn cannabis into a pill. [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by schmeff on April 07, 2005 at 11:16:35 PT "I'm Bob Dole, & I'd like to talk to you about If Big Pharma does have to defend their ED drugs from cannabis (and my prediction, though humorous, was dead serious) by demonizing the herb (further), I think they will come to regret their branding concepts.levitra, viagra, cannabis, cialis...they all sound herbal to me. Kind of genus-speci-ish, as in, "Here we see a lovely Levitra johnsonii, a common woody perenial*"*If your woody perennial persists for more than 4 hours, consult a pruning service. [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by Sam Adams on April 07, 2005 at 11:04:09 PT ED & herb Well, in my experience, cannabis is certainly an aphrodesiac, we'd have to get some people w/ ED to try it & report back on whether it helps. It seems to, uhhhh.... *expedite* the process for me.I think it helps to understand the medical MJ problem if you realize that, if cannabis DID cure ED, you would NOT see any commercials for it on TV at all. It cannot be patented and profited from. What you would see would be exactly what we have today - all the government agencies set up to oversee drugs would wage war against cannabis, to keep people from ever discovering it's ED benefit and using it. Since it's impossible to physically keep cannabis flowers out of the hands of people with ED, you'd have to try all sorts of gymnastics to prevent it. Mainly brainwashing. Brainwashing people to think of Viagra with ED, not herbs. Brainwashing to demonize the herbs, while distancing herbal use as far from ED in people's minds as possible. You'd do this by hitting knee-jerk reactionary buttons in people's minds, like their children, or imagery of dirty hippie people.Just take a look at the beautiful people in Big Pharm ads, and then look at the images that flash on the news when they're doing cannabis reform news (hippies) and you'll see exactly what I mean.All the drug companies know damn well how good cannabis is for many illnesses, and that's exactly why the drug is being fought so hard. [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by schmeff on April 07, 2005 at 10:58:02 PT What can I say? It works for me. [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by FoM on April 07, 2005 at 10:40:30 PT If I Could Only Say What I'm Thinking I am getting a good laugh out of this! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by dongenero on April 07, 2005 at 10:37:24 PT got that right schmeff Cannabis dilates the vascular system so....makes sense that it would potentially increase blood flow to the penis. Boy, if they came out with that finding we would be seeing a couple of cannabis commercials on every television break. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by FoM on April 07, 2005 at 10:35:32 PT schmeff Oh NO!!!! Not that! They'll quick legalize and market it and we'll see it all the time on TV! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by schmeff on April 07, 2005 at 10:31:55 PT The list just keeps growing... glaucoma, nausea, cancer, asthma, pain, MS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure...what's next?my prediction: erectile dysfunction ;) [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by FoM on April 07, 2005 at 09:55:39 PT Sam You're welcome. Many drugs can kill people but we know Cannabis hasn't ever killed anyone. I hope they get it soon! [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Sam Adams on April 07, 2005 at 09:49:45 PT Bextra Thanks fom. Another prescription drug that killed people. When will we see the day that docs say, "why yes, research shows that NSAIDS may help reduce inflammation. But, I wouldn't want anyone swallowing pills, this stuff damages your stomach and intestines!"They keep saying cannabis can damage the heart. Well how many people have died from cannabis-related heart damage? I don't know. Probably no one. I do know that 13,500 people die annually from NSAID-caused GI bleeding. And it now looks like you can throw in thousands more from heart attacks caused by NSAIDS, not to mention liver and kidney failure, which is very difficult to attribute to one drug, since the livers and kidneys usually fail years after taking the drugs. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Sam Adams on April 07, 2005 at 09:46:50 PT That evil smoke-weed again! It's interesting the way these American Establishment researchers ALWAYS revert to mentioning "smoked marijuana" when discussing medical use. It's ironic because it is precisely THEIR medical, regulatory (govermental), and pharmaceutical establishment that is responsible for driving sick people to use smoked cannnabis.In the 1800s, when cannabis was the first or second most-prescribed medicine in the US, it was used almost exclusively in whole-extract, liquid tinctures. Doctors in that day only recommended the oral route for lung problems like asthma.Only after the FDA and medical establishment destroyed the entire infrastructure of herbal medicine, and banned cannabis and opium, did the Mexicans introduce smoked cannabis. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on April 07, 2005 at 08:08:50 PT Off Topic: Another One Bites The Dust Pfizer Pulls Bextra Off the Market FDA cites health concerns in asking drugmaker to withdraw arthritis painkiller.April 7, 2005 NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Pfizer Inc. said Thursday it is pulling its arthritis painkiller Bextra off the market after the Food and Drug Administration asked for the recall. The FDA cited inadequate information on possible heart risks from long-term use of the drug as well as "life-threatening" skin reactions, including deaths. The regulatory agency also called for the strongest warning possible on Pfizer's other arthritis product, Celebrex.Complete Article: http://money.cnn.com/2005/04/07/news/fortune500/bextra/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by cloud7 on April 07, 2005 at 06:39:08 PT And marijuana for all http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2005-04-07/news_story2.php [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by mayan on April 07, 2005 at 05:22:18 PT Berlin That's great news about Berlin. It looks like they are facing reality. If only America's so-called leaders would do the same!On an unrelated note, the pro-pot candidates are popping up in Britan...PRO-CANNABIS CANDIDATE TO STAND: http://tinyurl.com/65oqzFrom puppets to politics in bid to legalise cannabis: http://tinyurl.com/6lnchCANNABIS CANDIDATE - Ditchfield to stand in Vale: http://www.freepressnow.co.uk/ihome2/detail.asp?storyid=35587&catid=%201&officeid=8 [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by potpal on April 07, 2005 at 04:33:37 PT German-ation An article that was in anticipation:http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=52&story_id=5589&name=Dope+laws+up+in+smoke [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by potpal on April 07, 2005 at 04:08:13 PT Stop your killing me... The way they have to throw in the negative reefer madness/propaganda in an attempt to temper any good news or momentum the procannabis movement may enjoy, even if they are misleading and border on absurd by now.Who knows how much thc it takes to get a mouse high?Okay so... Cannabis may halt alzheimers... But don't you dare smoke it. Cannabis may slow heart disease... But don't you dare smoke it. Cannabis reduces pain... But don't you dare smoke it. Cannabis can help one deal with trauma... But don't you dare smoke it. Cannabis may treat some cancers... But don't you dare smoke it. Cannabis may help you get a good nights sleep... But don't you dare smoke it. Cannabis may make you high and happy... But...Don't Bogart that joint, my friend...pass it over to me. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by ron on April 07, 2005 at 03:47:23 PT Off topic breaking news Just heard that Berlin has (re)legalised possession of 10 grams of cannabis. Only link I've found so far is Finnish.http://www.iltalehti.fi/2005/04/07/200504072939258_uu.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on April 06, 2005 at 20:01:07 PT Related Article from The DailyMail UK Cannabis Offers Heart Disease Hope April 6, 2005 The main active ingredient in cannabis protects arteries against harmful changes that lead to strokes and heart attacks, new research has revealed. Scientists believe THC, or similar cannabinoid chemicals, could in future provide new treatments for heart disease. But they warn that simply smoking cannabis does not offer the same benefit and may actually damage the heart. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/thehealthnews.html?in_article_id=344001&in_page_id=1797 [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on April 06, 2005 at 19:54:23 PT Related Article from The Telegraph UK Cannabis May Stop Heart DiseaseBy Roger Highfield, Science EditorApril 7, 2005The active ingredient of cannabis can prevent blood vessels from becoming blocked by atherosclerosis, the inflammation that is the primary cause of heart disease and stroke.The disease is halted when mice are given low doses of the substance, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, according to a study published today in the journal Nature by Prof François Mach and colleagues at the Geneva University Hospital.Atherosclerosis occurs when the build-up of immune cells in blood vessels causes narrowing of the arteries. THC, seems to prevents the recruitment of immune cells called leukocytes by binding to proteins called CB2 receptors on the surface of cells in the vessels.Because atherosclerosis is rare in younger people who tend to smoke cannabis, there is no evidence of this protective effect from earlier epidemiological studies of the health effects, said Prof Mach. He added that his research will spur drug companies to look for compounds which can bind to CB2 receptors like THC but without CB1 activity and thus the psychotropic effects.Prof Michael Roth, from the University of California, urged caution in the same issue of Nature. "The findings are striking, but they should not be taken to mean that smoking marijuana is beneficial to the heart. Also, no studies have been performed in humans to evaluate the effects of THC on atherosclerosis."Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2005http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/04/07/wcann07.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/04/07/ixnewstop.html [ Post Comment ] Post Comment