From: Ian Goddard (IAN@GODDARD.NET)
Date: Sun Jul 12 1998 - 22:50:59 MDT
This should send drug warriors into conniption fits,
THC (the active chemical in cannabis) is found to
be a brain-damage- preventing antioxidant. Anti-
oxidants extend the life of cells. As a National
Academy of Sciences publication just reported:
"Cannabidiol and THC also were shown to prevent
hydroperoxide-induced oxidative damage as well
as or better than other antioxidants..."
Here's the abstract of these research findings:
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/95/14/8268
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Vol. 95, Issue 14, 8268-8273, July 7, 1998
Cannabidiol and (delta)9-tetrahydrocannabinol
are neuroprotective antioxidants
A. J. Hampson, M. Grimaldi, J. Axelrod, and D. Wink
Contributed by Julius Axelrod, April 27, 1998
The neuroprotective actions of cannabidiol and other
cannabinoids were examined in rat cortical neuron cultures
exposed to toxic levels of the excitatory neurotransmitter
glutamate. Glutamate toxicity was reduced by both cannabidiol,
a nonpsychoactive constituent of marijuana, and the
psychotropic cannabinoid (delta)9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Cannabinoids protected equally well against neurotoxicity
mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, 2-amino-3-
(4-butyl-3-hydroxyisoxazol-5-yl)propionic acid receptors,
or kainate receptors. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-induced
toxicity has been shown to be calcium dependent; this study
demonstrates that 2-amino-3-(4-butyl-3-hydroxyisoxazol-5-yl)
propionic acid/kainate receptor-type neurotoxicity is also
calcium-dependent, partly mediated by voltage sensitive
calcium channels.
The neuroprotection observed with cannabidiol and THC was
unaffected by cannabinoid receptor antagonist, indicating
it to be cannabinoid receptor independent. Previous studies
have shown that glutamate toxicity may be prevented by
antioxidants. Cannabidiol, THC and several synthetic
cannabinoids all were demonstrated to be antioxidants by
cyclic voltametry. Cannabidiol and THC also were shown to
prevent hydroperoxide-induced oxidative damage as well as
or better than other antioxidants in a chemical (Fenton
reaction) system and neuronal cultures. Cannabidiol was
more protective against glutamate neurotoxicity than
either ascorbate or -tocopherol, indicating it to be a
potent antioxidant. These data also suggest that the
naturally occurring, nonpsychotropic cannabinoid,
cannabidiol, may be a potentially useful therapeutic
agent for the treatment of oxidative neurological
disorders such as cerebral ischemia.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 14:49:20 MST