CAN CANNABIS CURE? - CRASH COURSE ONTHE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM

CAN CANNABIS CURE?

Right now we are living in very exciting times and there is currently a lot of publicity surrounding the debate of legalising Cannabis for medicinal and recreational use all over the world and indeed we are seeing very positive results as many countries are beginning to relax their Cannabis laws.

So what is all this hype about and what does it mean for the average person?

It’s all about the recently discovered physiological system which since the early 1990’s has been named The Endocannabinoid System (EC system) and is named after the Cannabis plant.

When ii started off as a student nurse at Groote Schuur Hospital in the 1980’s ii can remember being very unpopular, always harassing the professionals in the Neurological department and anyone else who would listen; running around with a piece of paper with a picture of the human brain and insisting that they show me where the “THC receptors” were.  THC is the most well-known Cannabinoid and was first isolated back in 1964.They used to chase me out telling me that ii was in the wrong department. It was a great blessing to receive the teachings of my Elders from a very young age when ii learnt that Cannabis could cure cancer and a variety of other disorders for which the medical world say there are no cures.

It now turns out that all of life, even jelly fish, have the EC system which consists of Endocannabinoids, which are Cannabinoids naturally made by our bodies, and Endocannabinoid receptors.  So far only two receptors have been officially identified, as the CB1 and CB2 receptors, but there is already promise of more receptors and Cannabinoids being discovered in the near future. It is my personal reasoning that Cannabinoids and their receptors are to be found throughout the entire body in all cells and atoms.

So we know that the CB1 receptors are found in the nervous system, connective tissues, gonads, glands, and organs with the highest concentration found in the cortex, hippocampus, basal ganglia, amygdale, hypothalamus and cerebellum.

The CB2 receptors are located in the immune system and its cells, tissues, systems and organs, particularly the spleen.

 

 

Make no mistake the EC system is a very complex system and the complexity of the interactions between the various Cannabinoids, cell types, systems and individual organisms continues to challenge scientists and scholars alike, pushing researchers to think about new ways to study health and how the body works.

Here’s the important stuff to give you an overall idea of how the EC system works in your body.

FUNCTIONS OF THE EC SYSTEM

HOMEOSTASIS

Personally ii feel that the function of Homeostasis is the number one factor in the biology of all living things and is best described as the ability to maintain a stable and balanced internal environment despite the constant fluctuations in the external environment. The ability to maintain homeostasis is necessary for survival and medical disorders and disease are the direct result of the body’s inability to maintain homeostasis.

So we now know that Cannabinoids are responsible for promoting homeostasis at every level of biological life, right from the sub-cellular to the organism, and perhaps even to the community and beyond. Over and above regulating our internal and cellular homeostasis, Cannanbinoids also influence a person’s relationship with the external environment. On a social level, the consumption of Cannabinoids clearly changes human behaviour, and often promotes feelings of sharing, humour, positive vibrations and creativity.

NEUROGENESIS

This is the creation of new neurons in the brain, new brain cells. Contrary to popular belief, research continues to show that Cannabis does not kill brain cells and rather the opposite is true, and in fact a recent study published in The International Journal of Neuropharmacology points to Cannabinoids as a cause of neurogenesis in the brain and it was shown that the Cannabinoid named Cannabidiol (CBD) increases adult neurogenesis while having no effect on learning.

 

“Most ‘drugs of abuse’ suppress neurogenesis.  Only marijuana promotes neurogenesis” – Dr Xia Zhang (Canadian researcher)

 

The Endocannabinoid Research Group has stated that their results suggest that the Cannabinoid CBC (Cannabichromenes) can help the growth and survival of NPSCs. 

Neural Progenitor Stem Cells (NPSCs) are the stem cells of the brain and are vital to brain functioning.  NPSCs are the precursors to the three types of brain cells, being Neurons, Oligondendrocytes and Astrocytes, and because they are able to create any of these cells, they are now being investigated to help regenerate brain cells.

One can only imagine how valuable this type of therapy would be in the treatment of Epilepsy, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, Multiple Sclerosis and other Neurological disorders.

This research study has also found that CBC is related to higher concentrations of NPSCs and that CBC also seems to inhibit the creation of proteins that cause the NPSCs to convert to other brain cells.

This is such exciting medical technology because what this really means is that CBC appears to interact with this process and also takes on the characteristics of being able to decide what brain cells are being developed and when they are being developed at cellular level.

This is truly revolutionary stuff and while CBC’s ability to promote neurogenesis is a fairly recent finding previous studies suggest that THC and CBD can do the same.

 

 

 

AUTOPHAGY

The EC system controls the process of autophagy, a process involving cellular destruction of unnecessary or dysfunctional cellular components for example cancer cells and ‘free radicals’.

So this process breaks down damaged organelles, cell membranes and proteins, but does not damage or alter healthy cells at all, unlike many cancer fighting drugs which kill off healthy cells as well as damaged cells.

The failure of the process of autophagy is largely believed to be the main reason for on-going cell damage and the aging process.

This makes a lot of sense and we all know about the role of ‘free radicals’ in the aging process, they quickly multiply and become uncontrollable in the absence of antioxidants to flush them out of the body.  Free radicals also cause inflammation throughout the body thus intensifying other conditions commonly connected with the aging process such as arthritis.

The Cannabinoids CBD (Cannabidiol) and CBC (Cannabichromene) are known to relieve inflammation and THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBN (Cannbinol) are known to act as antioxidants.  These are two very important factors in maintaining homeostasis and overall health. The death of cancer cells, in turn, promotes homeostasis and survival at the level of the entire entity in both humans and animals alike.

By now everyone knows that Cannabis can cure cancer and I am living proof of this along with all the hundreds of thousands of testimonies including the works of Rick Simpson.  Mr Simpson’s work has created a lot of controversy of late but the fact remains that he has suffered greatly in his quest to save thousands of people’s lives with his Cannabis oil extract.

ANALGESIA AND ANTI-IMFLAMMATORY

Personally ii believe that Endocannabinoids and receptors are located all over our bodies, deep rooted within the cell membranes and it is now believed by many Cannabis students that Endocannabinoids are more numerous than any other receptor in the body.

 

They are also found at the intersection of the body's various systems, allowing communication and coordination between different cell types. Cannabinoids and Endocannabinoids are therefore neurotransmitters.

For example, at the site of an injury, Cannanbinoids can be found decreasing the release of activators and sensitizers from the injured tissue, thus stabilizing the nerve cells to prevent excessive firing, and calming nearby immune cells to prevent release of pro-inflammatory substances.

Millions of people from all walks of life use Cannabis as a pain killer and anti-inflammatory especially people who experience back ache and arthritis related conditions.

REGULATION OF METABOLISM

Researchers have recently discovered that Cannabinoids can actually increase the amount of energy and fat which the body burns.

Most people have heard the expression “the munchies” so Cannabis is better known for inducing hunger in those who consume it, but scientists have now found that Cannabis also has an appetite suppressing effect.

It has been clinically proven that Cannabis boosts metabolism, leading to lower levels of fat in the liver and reduced cholesterol in the blood stream.

There is a definite link between Cannabis use, glucose, insulin and insulin resistance.

Scientists now know that Cannabis activates the stimulation of Adiponectin, a protein involved in regulating glucose and lipid (fat) metabolism, proving that there is a strong relationship between Cannabinoids and therefore Cannabis, and exterior metabolic processes.

The importance of fats cannot be overlooked and it is interesting to note that Cannabis and Cannabinoids are fat soluble components and the human brain is 60% fat. This is one of the reasons why the pharmaceutical industry struggles with Cannabis because it is not water soluble and therefore cannot be administered via any water based solution.

 

Another Cannabinoid known as THCV (Tetrahydrocannabivarin) has been found to increase sensitivity to insulin while also protecting the cells that produce insulin, allowing them to work more effectively. 

THCV also has the ability to regulate metabolism and suppress appetite. This has certainly raised hopes in the medical world that Cannabis can be developed into treatments for obesity related diseases as well as diabetes.

The effect of THCV on the CB1 and CB2 receptors is different to the effects of THC.

THCV is in reality an antagonist (inhibitor) of the CB1 and CB2 receptors, so in other words instead of stimulating these receptors THCV actually blocks them from being activated which is what makes THCV so important in the study of obesity,  appetite control and metabolic regulation which it is showing signs of being able to control, as an appetite suppressant. This is exactly why you don’t often see an overweight person who consumes Cannabis.

Some of the best loved sativa strains are known to be high in THCV for example Durban poison and many of the Haze and Cheese strains as well as their hybrids.

It has also been revealed that CBD (Cannabidiol) has an effect on the genes which affect cholesterol metabolism and also has an appetite suppressing effect.

There is not much you can do to increase CBD levels other than to choose strains with a known high CBD content.  CBD is naturally found in higher amounts in low THC varieties such as Cannabis ruderalis and some hemp species.

So in other words, people suffering from diabetes and other metabolic conditions would need to source a ‘lower THC quality’ herb to prepare a high CBD medication. Some of the more popular high CBD strains include Charlotte’s Web’, Harlequin, AC/DC, Sour Tsunami as well as Cannatonic.

HORMONE ABSORPTION

Studies have already shown that Cannabinoids have a regulatory effect on the Endocrine System which controls hormone release as well as homeostasis in our bodies, indicating that Cannabinoids can control the production and release of hormones, and therefore controls the functions of the Endocrine system. This is very important information to consider when looking at conditions such as thyroid gland disorders.

 

The EC System has scientifically proven to play an important role in the secretion of the hormones relating to reproductive functions and response to stress, Tests involving the production and release of oxytocin have given scientists hope to pursue studies of the role of Cannabinoids in hormone release in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, as well as symptoms of autism.

So, what do YOU think, can Cannabis cure?

Truly the Cannabis plant really is a plant of renown as mentioned in the Revelation in the Bible and the intricate workings of its chemical components continue to amaze the medical world.

It is also very true that many medicines are only made up from certain parts of plants containing specific chemicals, where in fact the other parts of the same plant are toxic for example Foxgloves (Digitalis), which contains chemicals used in medicines to treat certain cardiac conditions, but the entire plant if consumed has toxic effects.

The same is not true of Cannabis, where the entire plant including the roots may be consumed without any negative side effects at all. In fact Cannabis is one of the few plants known to man which actually improves the soil after it has been harvested. To this day there has never been an account of death by natural herbal Cannabis and truly the most dangerous thing about Cannabis is getting caught with it!

All natural remedies have some specific health benefits that are truly remarkable, but none are likely to cure everything, and so people shouldn't expect them to.

However, in Cannabis we have a truly extraordinary healing plant and evidence now shows that Cannabis is actually an amazingly tranquil substance that in fact poses no risk of overdose and only a slight risk of addiction, alike to that of craving coffee or chocolate. Through the teachings of my elders and the numerous healings ii have personally witnessed truly ii do believe that in Cannabis we have the single most useful herbal remedy for the treatment of the widest range of health care issues mental, physical and spiritual problems.

                                            

Many experts also now believe that the psychoactive properties of Cannabis are most likely to only be short lived and in fact do not pose any risk of long term brain damage.

 

Whilst many medical practitioners will cringe at the idea of recommending herbal remedies, let alone smoking any of them, many doctors today are in fact aware of the medicinal healing properties of Cannabis and everyone should be urged to discuss this very serious matter with their health care practitioners to find the best solution for their personal medical disorders. It is possible for conventional and natural medical practitioners to work together for the overall healing of the people.

More and more doctors are beginning to realise the truth about Cannabis, however, they lack the scientific research to adequately administer this medication and as such so much more research is required on the part of the medical world. It seems certain that pretty soon medical practitioners will be forced to learn about the healing powers of Cannabis from their own patients.