 Marijuana's Key Ingredient May Fight Alzheimers |
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 Oct 6 2006, 07:11 AM
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 Administrator  Group: Admin 2 Posts: 72279 Joined: 23-November 03 From: Hawkesbury, Ontario Canada Member No.: 1  |
 Marijuana's Key Ingredient May Fight Alzheimers Posted by CN Staff on October 05, 2006 at 12:41:36 PT Cannabis News By Charles Q. Choi Source: Fox News Network USA -- The active ingredient of marijuana could be considerably better at suppressing the abnormal clumping of malformed proteins that is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease than any currently approved prescription drugs. Scientists report the finding in the Oct. 2 issue of the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics. About 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease, which gradually destroys memory. As more people survive into old age, cases of Alzheimer’s disease are expected to triple over the next 50 years. There is no known cure. The researchers looked at THC, the compound inside marijuana responsible for its action on the brain. Computer models suggested THC might inhibit an enzyme with the tongue-twisting name of acetylcholinesterase (also called AChE) that is linked to Alzheimer's. AChE is known to help accelerate the formation of abnormal protein clumps in the brain, known as amyloid plaques, during Alzheimer's. This enzyme also helps break down the brain chemical acetylcholine, which is linked to memory and learning. Acetylcholine levels are reduced during Alzheimer's. In lab experiments, the scientists found THC was significantly better at disrupting the abnormal clumping of malformed proteins. THC could completely prevent AChE from forming amyloid plaques, while two drugs approved for use against Alzheimer's, donepezil and tacrine, reduced clumping by only 22 and 7 percent, respectively, at twice the concentration of THC used in the tests. "We're not advocating smoking dope, but if we can make analogues of THC, it could play a role in treating Alzheimer's," researcher Kim Janda, a chemist at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., told LiveScience. "It would be nice to do more animal studies along these lines." Past research on human brain tissues and experiments with rats have suggested that synthetic analogues of THC can reduce the inflammation and prevent the mental decline associated with Alzheimer's disease. However, marijuana is not necessarily good for the mind. Prior investigations have shown that years of heavy marijuana use, consisting of four or more joints a week, can impair memory, decision-making and the ability to pay attention to more than one thing at a time. Complete Title: Marijuana's Key Ingredient May Fight Alzheimer's Disease Copyright: 2006 Imaginova Corp. Source: Fox News Network (US) Author: Charles Q. Choi Published: Thursday, October 05, 2006 Copyright: 2006 FOX News Network, LLC. Contact: views@foxnews.com Website: http://www.foxnews.com/ Related Articles: Marijuana Ingredient May Help Alzheimers http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20276.shtml Marijuana May Block Alzheimers http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20269.shtml High Times for Alzheimers http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14254.shtml |
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Oct 6 2006, 07:16 AM
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Administrator Group: Admin 2 Posts: 72279 Joined: 23-November 03 From: Hawkesbury, Ontario Canada Member No.: 1 |
Marijuana May Stave Off Alzheimer's: Study Posted by CN Staff on October 05, 2006 at 13:51:53 PT Cannabis News By Andy Sullivan Source: Reuters Washington, DC -- Good news for aging hippies: smoking pot may stave off Alzheimer's disease. New research shows that the active ingredient in marijuana may prevent the progression of the disease by preserving levels of an important neurotransmitter that allows the brain to function. Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in California found that marijuana's active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, can prevent the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from breaking down more effectively than commercially marketed drugs. THC is also more effective at blocking clumps of protein that can inhibit memory and cognition in Alzheimer's patients, the researchers reported in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics. The researchers said their discovery could lead to more effective drug treatment for Alzheimer's, the leading cause of dementia among the elderly. Those afflicted with Alzheimer's suffer from memory loss, impaired decision-making, and diminished language and movement skills. The ultimate cause of the disease is unknown, though it is believed to be hereditary. Marijuana is used to relieve glaucoma and can help reduce side effects from cancer and AIDS treatment. Possessing marijuana for recreational use is illegal in many parts of the world, including the United States, though some states allow possession for medical purposes. NORML: Alzheimer's Disease: http://norml.org//index.cfm?Group_ID=7003 Source: Reuters (Wire) Author: Andy Sullivan Published: October 5, 2006 Copyright: 2006 Reuters Related Articles: Marijuana's Key Ingredient May Fight Alzheimers http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22241.shtml Marijuana Ingredient May Help Alzheimers http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20276.shtml |
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