Marijuana Research Research Articles

Chapter 26. The Cannabinoids: Therapeutic Potentials

A review of the therapeutic potentials of the cannabinoids is presented. With respect to the antifertility aspects of cannabinoids, 2 mg delta 9-THC suppressed luteinizing hormone secretion in rats and 2 and 3 mg/kg resulted in a deterioation of male sexual performance. A new chapter in marijuana research was opened in 1964 with the identification of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol as the active ingredient. Antiedema, analgesic, antipyretic, antiinflammatory, antifertility, antiepileptic, anticonvulsant, antihypertensive, cardiotonic, pulmonary, and antidepressant effects along with potentiation of barbiturates and analgesics are reviewed leading one to the conclusion that marijuana is "a drug for all reasons". During the past decade many investigators have pursued the possibility of modification of the delta 9 structure to delineate activities. 1 compound, Abbott 40656, SP106, a water-soluble benzopyran derivative is presently under Phase 1 clinical evaluation as a sedative-hypnotic.

Long-term interactions of marijuana and behaviour in chimpanzees.

MARIJUANA produces differential effects in human naive and experienced marijuana smokers1, but owing to ethical constraints involved in repeatedly administering marijuana to drug-naive humans, many human experiments have involved only experienced marijuana users as subjects. These constraints, however, are minimal with non-human subjects, and the great majority of animals used in marijuana research have been drug naive. So far, distinguishing between the long-term effects of marijuana in drug-naive and drug-experienced animal subjects has little precedence in the literature. We report here a number of observations, made over a two-year period during our marijuana research with chimpanzees, which indicate that experiential factors may play a major role in the effects of marijuana on complex behaviour.