Marijuana Compound Found Superior To Drugs For Alzheimer's
Sayer Ji,
ContributorActivist Post
Could the active ingredient in marijuana, responsible for its
characteristic "high," help turn the tide against the accelerating
Alzheimer's epidemic?
A remarkable study published in the journal
Molecular Pharmacology in 2006, found that this long-vilified plant contains a compound with
not one, but two therapeutic properties ideal for addressing both the
surface symptom (memory problems) and root cause (brain plaque) of
Alzheimer's disease.
[i] This is an ironic finding, considering that the prevailing stereotype
is that using marijuana "fries" the brain, leading to debilitating
memory issues.
Researchers discovered that the psychoactive component of marijuana,
Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), both "competitively inhibits the enzyme
acetylcholinesterase (AChE) as well as prevents AChE-induced amyloid
β-peptide (Aβ) aggregation."
On the first account, THC's ability to inhibit the
AChE enzyme, is not unlike the mechanism of action behind most
Alzheimer's drugs on the market today. Drugs like
donepezil (trade name Aricept), for instance, by targeting and inhibiting the
brain enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), result in an increase in brain
levels of this neurotransmitter, which in turn, results in symptom
reduction, i.e. improved memory. Donepezil, however, is riddled with
controversy due its well-known
association with seizures,
which likely reflects its intrinsic neurotoxicity. It is, in fact, a
chemical in the same general chemical class as venom, insecticides and
chemical war agents, such as nerve gas.
On the second account, THC's ability to prevent the
acetylcholinesterase-associated amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) aggregation, i.e.
brain plaque, indicates that it may, as the researchers noted,
"directly impact Alzheimer's disease pathology." In fact, they found
"Compared to currently approved drugs prescribed for the treatment of
Alzheimer's disease,
THC is a considerably superior inhibitor of Aβ aggregation, and this
study provides a previously unrecognized molecular mechanism through
which cannabinoid molecules may directly impact the progression of this
debilitating disease."
What is so encouraging about this research, and which the researchers described as "noteworthy," is the following:
<blockquote class="tr_bq">THC is a considerably more effective inhibitor
of AChE-induced Aβ deposition than the approved drugs for Alzheimer's
disease treatment, donepezil and tacrine, which reduced Aβ aggregation
by only 22% and 7%, respectively, at twice the concentration used in our
studies.
7 Therefore, AChE inhibitors such as THC and its analogues may provide an
improved therapeutic for Alzheimer's disease, augmenting acetylcholine
levels by preventing neurotransmitter degradation and reducing Aβ
aggregation, thereby simultaneously treating both the symptoms and
progression of Alzheimer's disease.</blockquote>THC, of course, is only
one of a wide range of cannabinoids in the plant marijuana. Not only is
there already plentiful information on the
neuroprotective properties of marijuana compounds,
but there is also a sizeable body of clinical and/or biomedical
research indicating the medicinal value of this plant in over 150 health
conditions. To view this research visit our
Medical Marijuana Research page.
Source:-
http://www.activistpost.com/2012/09/marijuana-compound-found-superior-to.html