This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Cannabis could hold the key to ending multiple sclerosis misery 03 April 2007

Researchers investigating the role of cannabinoids - chemical substances contained within cannabis – in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), have found they could significantly enhance therapy, not only by reducing nerve damage and erratic nerve impulses, but perhaps even by hindering development of the condition.

The findings, published online in Nature Medicine demonstrates for the first time how cannabis might actually slow down the progression of MS and could have major implications for the estimated 2.5 million patients worldwide.

Using a mouse model, a team of UK, European, Japanese and US scientists, led by David Baker, Professor of Neuroimmunology at Queen Mary, University of London, found that doses of the active component within cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) could significantly inhibit the development and severity of MS.

Cannabis works because it stimulates molecules known as cannabinoid receptors within the body. The group had previously reported that THC could alleviate disease symptoms, and also save nerves from the damaging effects of the disease - thus potentially, via the cannabinoid receptor CB1, slowing down the development of progressive disability. They had not previously examined the influence of cannabinoids on immune aspects of the disease.

Now their most recent study has successfully separated the roles of cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 on neurons and T cells, and investigated their effect in controlling central nervous system autoimmunity. It showed that CB1 receptor expression by nerves in the brain, but not T cells, could suppress the development of an experimental MS-like disease, by stimulating the release of anti-inflammatory molecules, whilst in contrast direct stimulation of CB2 receptors by T cells was also able to control inflammation associated with the condition. This suggests that cannabis-like drugs may have the potential to block the autoimmune response which drives disease development.

Professor David Baker said: “Whilst targeting CB1 receptors for therapy runs the risk of causing the unwanted “high” to achieve these effects, we can get the same result by targeting CB2 receptors, which avoids these risks. Therefore, we can start to think about using new drugs that harness the potential medical benefits that cannabis has to offer but move away from the issues over the legality and recreational use of the plant product”.

Source: Queen Mary, University of London

That's all we have to do is get the politicians and some docs to follow the science and ignore the politics on MJ.

On one MS site that I visit, a MS patient asked a question about the possible benefit of MS in the "Ask the Doctor" forum. The doc replied back that MJ wasn't beneficial for MS symptoms whatsoever and that it had no place in his practice. He also said other inaccurate comments which just shows you that some docs as well can display surprising levels of ignorance.

Needless to say, the doc's response touched off a bit of a nasty thread which the moderator had to close down.

Harry

I love the assumption that the "high" is "unwanted". I guess that's why so many people spend their hard-earned dollars buying the illegal drug. After all I usually spend my money on stuff I don't want. Not.

Sativex spray, a cannabis and alcohol based drug which is about 2000% more expensive than the illegal drug, has very little "high" except at well over the recommended dose. At the recommended dose it has had virtually no effect on me at all. This was disappointing. You have to admire the sheer ruthlessness of the pharmaceutical industry which effectively lobbied governments to have the plant banned and then come up with drugs based on this plant that are outrageously more expensive and probably rather less effective.

_________________
3 years antibiotics, 06/09 bilateral jug stents at C1, 05/11 ballooning of both jug valves, 07/12 stenting of renal vein, azygos & jug valve ballooning,

Gibbleygook,

Depending on where you live in the world, one doesn't have to use the very expensive Sativex to help you with your MS symptoms. My wife used it for a short period of time and it did help.

Here in London, Canada, there is a clinical trial going on which is measuring the kind of side effects MJ gives vs the standard drugs used for pain and spasms. They use real MJ which is produced under government control and carefully dispensed under a doctor's rx. You don't even have to smoke it if that bothers you...you can blend it with tea or with food.

The neuro who is in charge of the study at the Pain Clinic, has told me that they KNOW that MJ works for spasms and pain...it's just a matter of determining if the side effects are less than other conventional drugs.

It isn't surprising that as they do more and more research on this drug, they are finding more and more benefits. It will be interesting to see how the naysayers are going to try and explain this apparent success.

Harry

I've been conducting my own trials for years and I have long thought it had more effects than just alleviation of symptoms while the drug is making you high. It does crack me up that they call it an unwanted high. I had guilt tripped myself for using this for neuropathic pain and sleeplessness and have tried to quit many times over the last five years due to guilt and my internal "critical parent". However, my "research" concluded that the withdrawal symptoms were not what I was experiencing. The only withdraw effects I could find anywhere was increased irritability. After about a month of no use I had more tingling, less sleep and more pronounced problems with balance and dizziness.

I had a long talk with my "real parent" (my mother) and I liberated myself from the guilt (god knows it was just guilt from what you learn in school) and I started using it in the evenings again. The results have been remarkable. I actually felt like I was slipping into a relapse and now I don't. Could it all be mental and me just craving the demon weed? Hell yes, but I quit arguing with anything that lets me sleep and function better. It also really "quiets" my bladder down. To me it's a wonder drug and now that I'm using it medicinally, I don't even have the urge to use it during the day. That is key to me. I don't even think about it until I start to "close down" for the day and start feeling the crap I've been ignoring all day to get through work.

I, for one, feel that it is going to have the most untapped efficacy of any naturally occurring substance. Now if only the politicians would pull their head out of their collective asses so we can really study this stuff.

BTW, my neuro. fully supports me using MJ along the same lines as me which is "If it works, don't screw with it."

Lew

MJ benefit in MS was clinically proven about 20 years ago. Unfortunately this study was closed down, and results were discussed as unsuitable for public.

Biologically, MJ is 100% natural product which is good for humans. Oppositely, alcohol is bad for humans. There we have another distortion in modern society. Moderate drinking promoted everywhere even in scientific papers, MJ consumption punished by law.

In MS MJ (doesn’t matter which product you use) will help not only for trigeminal pain (it is rare conditions, largely over diagnosed, usually it is facial pain of different origin), but it can reduce spasticity, reduce symptoms of bladder dysfunction, improve your well-being. Most importantly it could be used for ataxia treatment which is very difficult to treat.

Pharma guys want their cut when introduce a “medicine, based on MJ”, I’m ok with that, more important that they will push the changes of law, let them do that, the protocol of MJ treatment must be established and approved everywhere first.

Kind regards,
Tony

_________________
"All truth passes through three stages.
First it is ridiculed.
Second it is violently opposed.
Third it is accepted as being self-evident."
Schopenhauer

Tony,

All of the benefits you describe are what I feel it gives me. However, what is ataxia? I know I could google it but I like your explanations better. They are easier for the lay people like myself to understand.

Tony,



The Pain Clinic, University Health Sciences Centre, London, Canada, knows that MJ is effective in the treatment of MS related spasms and pain. Currently, they are conducting an open label clinical trial to compare the side effects of MJ vs other conventional drugs that are used to treat the same kind of patients. As the neuro there told me, we know it works and we treat MJ like any other drug used to treat patients.

Fortunately they are handling MJ in a scientific manner, ignoring the political stigma that comes with it from many politicians as well as some doctors.

The results of this trial are several months away but if any MS patient who attends this clinic wants to use medical MJ, they will prescribe it for them under the established guidelines.

Harry

_________________
Had ms for over 19 years now.

- Loobie
In my post I meant cerebellar ataxia, very difficult to treat. You can fix it at the beginning, but when it re-occurs 2-3 times, it stays there.

- HarryZ
Good for Canadians.

Kind regards,
Tony

_________________
"All truth passes through three stages.
First it is ridiculed.
Second it is violently opposed.
Third it is accepted as being self-evident."
Schopenhauer