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Extraction of compounds from the Cannabis sativa plant
November 6, 2021Autoimmune diseases and cannabis sativa
The immune system must first recognize foreign or dangerous substances before it can defend the body against them. These substances include bacteria, viruses, parasites (such as worms), some cancer cells and even transplanted organs and tissues. These substances have molecules that the immune system is able to identify and that can stimulate an immune system response. These molecules are called antigens. Antigens can be contained within cells or on the cell surface (such as bacteria or cancer cells) or be part of a virus.
Autoimmune diseases are a group of different diseases that originate from the fact that the immune system starts to produce antibodies against the components of our own body. For various reasons and not always clear, our body begins to confuse its own proteins with invading agents, starting to attack them.
Therefore, an autoimmune disease is a disease caused by our immune system, which starts to function inappropriately.
One of the studied factors that can initiate an autoimmune disease is stress. Stress, from the biological/biochemical point of view, is a psychophysiological reaction of the body in which it is possible to observe, by different factors, the alteration of homeostasis, a hormonal regulation mechanism. Stress affects about ninety percent of the world population and, in its chronic form, it triggers both physical pathologies and psychological disorders. Studies show that there is the presence of cognitive and sensory mechanisms that affect the body's adaptation to aggressive stimuli, characteristic of stressful situations, which constitute risk factors both for the development of autoimmune diseases and for the destabilization of the immune system.
Different types of autoimmune diseases
There are over 100 types of autoimmune diseases. Some examples are: rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, Guillain-Barré syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, psoriasis, Graves' disease (hyperthyroidism), Hashimoto's thyroiditis (hypothyroidism), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Vasculitis.
The severity of an autoimmune disease depends on the organs affected. In this way, we can divide autoimmune diseases into:
- Local Syndromes: Attack a particular tissue. They can be dermatological, hematological or endocrine in nature. Among them, we find ulcerative colitis and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is a disease practically restricted to the thyroid gland, which is an important organ, but not vital. Patients with this autoimmune disease are able to lead a normal life, just taking one pill a day of thyroid hormone.
- Systemic diseases: Do not affect a specific organ, but can attack several and are more serious, especially those that attack organs and noble structures of the body, such as the central nervous system, heart, lungs and/or blood vessels. This is the case of celiac disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
A common sign of autoimmune disease is inflammation, which manifests itself in redness, localized heat, pain, and swelling. The symptoms of these diseases can be influenced by many factors, environment and general health status. In addition, autoimmune diseases can have active phases alternating with more “sleeping” phases in which symptoms improve or disappear.
In general, inflammation is the symptom that first suggests the presence of the autoimmune disease. In fact, an inflammatory condition is one of the most common situations that may suggest the presence of this type of disorder in the body. Generally, inflammation resulting from autoimmune diseases is indicative of other secondary symptoms, such as pain, joint deformities, weakness and difficulty breathing.
For example, since inflammation in the joints, which can indicate rheumatoid arthritis, some inflammatory processes appear in the skin, nerves, kidneys, brain and in membranes that cover the lungs and heart, in a picture of lupus erythematosus. Although not identified with the naked eye, endemic goiter, resulting from swelling in the neck due to thyroid changes, is another type of inflammation that indicates a sign of autoimmune disease Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
Cannabis sativa alternative in the treatment of autoimmune diseases
Autoimmune diseases affect three times more women than men. Thus, these diseases are one of the 10 leading causes of death in women under the age of 65 years.Currently, many of the treatment protocols for autoimmune diseases are still partially based on glucocorticoids, famous for their potent therapeutic effects, but also infamous for their many adverse effects when used for a very long time, including the increased risk of infections, because the prolonged use of corticosteroids reduces the body's defense response.
In addition to these, hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar level), muscle wasting and weakness, impaired growth (in cases of children), agitation, emotional instability and depression, as well as Cushing's Syndrome, which can cause an increase in abdominal fat, increased chest fat, muscle weakness and psychic disorders.
Cannabis sativa is emerging as an alternative in the treatment of various autoimmune diseases.
The therapeutic use of Cannabis sativa has been known for many years, however, the study of its properties has recently emerged with the discovery of an endogenous cannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system is formed by cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids, metabolizing enzymes and the membrane transporter. With the elucidation of cannabinoid receptors, scientists have increased curiosity regarding the existence of endogenous ligands and have been trying to understand how to intervene in the modulation of the system, whether using synthetic cannabinoids or phytocannabinoids (extracted from Cannabis sativa). The endocannabinoid system comprises the endogenous compounds (endocannabinoids) similar to ∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC), or simply THC, the cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) and the enzymes involved in its metabolism.
In the brain, the CB1 receptor is present in greater amounts in the frontal cortex, basal ganglia and cerebellum. The CB1 receptor is also found in the hypothalamus, anterior cingulate cortex, and hippocampus.
CB2 receptors are found primarily on cells of the immune system, including lymphocytes, macrophages, mast cells, natural killer cells, peripheral mononuclear cells, and microglia. The vast presence of CB2 in immune system cells shows that there may be a possible link to autoimmunity and potential treatments.
THC is a phytocannabinoid with psychoactive properties, responsible for the sensations described as euphoria and loss of recent memory, it also has important medicinal properties. It is a potent hunger stimulant, muscle relaxant, sedative, analgesic, anti-nausea and vomiting (especially those induced by chemotherapy), anti-inflammatory and, for some people, has a positive effect on mood.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid without intoxicating properties. It has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anxiolytic, antidepressant, anticonvulsant, bone stimulant, anti-nausea, neuroprotective capabilities and has an immunomodulatory effect. CBD also modulates the negative effects of THC, such as those related to unwanted psychoactive events such as anxiety, depression or hallucinations.
Several studies show that the various cannabinoids present in the Cannabis sativa plant, as well as terpenes, have the following medicinal effects, isolated or together: anxiolytic and euphoric effects, for anxiety and depression; analgesia, including for neuropathic pain; decreased pain perception, increased pain tolerance; anti-convulsant action; appetite stimulation in the cachexia state; decreased intraocular pressure, useful in cases of glaucoma; anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activity in cancer and autoimmune diseases; antiemetic action; saliva reduction in patients and muscle relaxation for spasticity relief.
Cannabinoids and other components of the Cannabis sativa plant, such as terpenes, have been used as alternative medicine for the treatment of anorexia and cachexia in patients with HIV/AIDS, in addition to the relief of nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. CBD interacts with receptors in the brain and immune system to reduce pain and inflammation.
CBD also inhibits the inflammatory protein interleukin-2, while stimulating an increase in the anti-inflammatory protein interleukin-10.
Research has revealed that cannabinoids inhibit the production of interleukin-6, a protein associated with autoimmune diseases. Another study of the combination of CBD and THC also found that this combination offers an effective way to treat pain without the adverse effects presented by medications normally prescribed by traditional medicine. CBD oil has been found to activate vanilloid and adenosine receptors, which increase serotonin production.
Understanding autoimmunity
Since the CB2 receptor is widely distributed in immune system cells, this endocannabinoid is a natural candidate for new treatments and for the possible understanding of autoimmunity. Multiple sclerosis currently represents the trademark of autoimmune diseases treated with substances present in Cannabis sativa, with the largest number of researches carried out in this field.
Research has shown the ability of cannabinoids to provide relief for the various ailments brought about by multiple sclerosis. When compared to conventional drugs, they were more effective, producing an attenuation of muscle spasticity, neuropathic pain, in addition to containing cell apoptosis and neuronal inflammation caused by this disease. These are, in fact, benefits that bring new hope to individuals afflicted with multiple sclerosis.
Recent studies, in animal models and in cell cultures, prove the antitumor properties of cannabinoids. Research carried out with the plant Cannabis sativa for medicinal use, concluded at the end of a study with neuro-oncology patients, that Cannabis had a positive effect on the survival of this population.
Anti-inflammatory and other promising roles
Lupus is characterized by pain and inflammation. The use of medicinal Cannabis for lupus can effectively treat both symptoms. By successfully reducing levels of the inflammation-promoting protein interleukin-2 and increasing levels of the anti-inflammatory protein interleukin-10, cannabis shows that it can be beneficial in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as lupus, where inflammation is the main complication. This inflammation is often responsible for pain in the body. Cannabis helps relieve this pain. One of the studies on the use of CBD as a crucial anti-inflammatory found that it interacts with CB1 and CB2 receptors, which are also found on immune cells. As such, cannabinoids, like CBD, play a key role in regulating the immune system.
Based on the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in the control of food intake and energy balance, and on reward behaviors, CB1 receptor antagonists have recently attracted considerable attention to drug studies with promising proposals to combat obesity and associated metabolic dysregulation (such as metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes) and to support smoking cessation.
More than 300 million people are known to suffer from depression across the planet, and many of these people also suffer from anxiety symptoms. CBD has shown promising therapeutic effects to treat a variety of illnesses, including psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression. Interestingly, CBD has also been associated with beneficial effects on blood glucose control. In addition, it is a potential antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory properties, is a stimulator of the immune system, has neurological and cardiovascular protection properties. CBD may have therapeutic properties that can help with diabetes disease and its complications.
In a study on Chron's syndrome, it was observed that users of Cannabis sativa, in the recreational modality, were likely to develop fewer complications related to the disease, such as intrabdominal abscess, active fistulizing disease, need for blood transfusion, colectomy and the need for parenteral nutrition, in addition to the improvement of pain, appetite and diarrhea.
Currently, the search for new remyelinating therapies is mainly focused on identifying the factors that promote myelin sheath repair. What demyelinating diseases share as a common feature is the pathogenic process that affects the myelin sheath, as is the case with Guillain-Barré syndrome. This neuronal coverage allows the proper conduction of nerve impulses.The oligodendrocytes responsible for producing mature myelin are derived during postnatal development from immature cells called oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). OPCs remain in the adult brain and produce new mature oligodendrocytes when myelin is injured. The beneficial role of CBD against immune-mediated damage to OPCs is already known. In fact, cells treated with CBD have less oxidative stress preventing the generation of reactive oxygen species.
Piauhy Labs intends to obtain a Certificate of Compliance with Good Laboratory Practices, in accordance with the OECD principles, for the pharmaceutical area.
As a result of the investigation processes, Piauhy Labs intends to create patents and originate intellectual property, with the ultimate goal of producing innovative medicines that improve the health of the population in general, in this regard in relation to improving the symptoms of patients with autoimmune diseases.
Elmo Resende, Ph.D
Director of R&D
Piauhy Labs
References
Anand, P.; Whiteside, G.; Fowler, C. J. et al. Targeting CB 2 receptors and the endocannabinoid system for the treatment of pain. Brain Res. Ver. 60:255-266, 2009.
Barnes, M. P. Sativex: Clinical efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of symptoms of multiple sclerosis and neuropathic pain. Exp. Opin. Pharm. 7(5), 607- 615, 2006.
Bonfá, L. Cannabinoids in Chronic Pain and Palliative Care. Ver. Bras. Anestesiol. 58 (3), 267-279, 2008.
Chaves, Y. C.; Genarob, K.; Sterna, C. A.; Guaitaa, G. O.; Crippad, J. A. S.; Cunha, J. M. and Zanovelia, J. M. Two-weeks treatment with cannabidiol improves biophysical and behavioral deficits associated with experimental type-1 diabetes. Neuroscience Letters, 729, 11, 6, 2020.
Carlini, E. A. The good and the bad effects of (-) trans-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta 9-THC) on humans. Toxicon. 44: 461–467, 2004.
Crippa, J. A.; Guimarães, F. S.; Campos, A. C. and Zuardi, A. W. Translational investigation of the therapeutic potential of cannabidiol (CBD): toward a new age. Front. Immunol. 9, 2009, 2018.
Devane, W. A.; Dysarz, F. A.; Johnson, M. R.; Melvin, L. S. and Howlett, A. C. Determination and characterization of a cannabinoid receptor in rat brain. Mol. Pharmcol. 34, 605–613, 1988.
di Marzo, V. CB1 receptor antagonism: biological basis for metabolic effects. Drug Discov. Today, 1-16, 2008.
Dobli, R. E. and Kleiman, M. A. R. Marijuana as anti-emetic medicine: a survey of oncologists experiences and attitudes. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 1314-1319, 1991.
Fowler, C. Plant-derived, synthetic and endogenous cannabinoids as neuroprotective agents. Non-psychoactive cannabinoids, ‘entourage’ compounds and inhibitors of N-acyl ethanolamine breakdown as therapeutic strategies to avoid pyschotropic effects. Brain Res. Rev. 41, 26-43, 2003.
Fukuda, S. et al. Cannabinoid receptor 2 as a potential therapeutic target in rheumatoid arthritis. BMC Musculoskelet. Disord. 15: 275, 2014.
Haj, C.G. et al. HU-444, a novel, potent anti-inflammatory, nonpsychotropic cannabinoid. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 355: 66- 75, 2015.
Katchan, V.; Davia, P. and Shoenfeld, Y. Cannabinoids and autoimmune diseases: A systemic review. Autoimmun. Rev. 15(6): 513-528, 2016.
Katz, D.; Katz, I.; Porat-Katz, B. S. and Shoenfeld, Y. Medical Cannabis – another piece in the mosaic of autoimmunity? Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2016.
Klein, T. W.; Newton, C. A., and Friedman, H. Cannabinoids and the immune system. Pain Res. Manag. 6:95-101, 2001.
Moreira, F. A.; Grieb, M. and Lutz, B. Central side-effects of therapies based on CB1 cannabinoid receptor agonists and antagonists: focus on anxiety and depression. Best Pract. Res. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 23:133-144, 2009.
Munro, S.; Thomas, K. L. and Abu-Shaar, M. Molecular characterization of a peripheral receptor for cannabinoids. Nature, 365(6441), 61–65, 1993.
Navarrete, C.; García-Martín, A.; Rolland, A.; DeMesa, J. and Muñoz, E. Cannabidiol and Other Cannabinoids in Demyelinating Diseases. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 22, 2992, 2021.
Perricone, C.; Agmon-Levin, N. and Shoenfeld, Y. Novel pebbles in the mosaic of autoimmunity. BMC Medicine, 11(1): 101, 2013.
Richardson, D.; Pearson, R. C.; Kurian, N., et al., Characterization of the cannabinoid receptor system in synovial tissue and fluid in patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Research & Therapy 10: R43, 2008.
Rieder, S. A.; Chauhan, A.; Singh, U.; Nagarkatti, M. and Nagarkatti P. Cannabinid-induced apoptosis in immune cells as a pathway to immunosuppression. Immunobiology. 215(8): 598 – 605, 2010.
Song, H.; Fang, F.; Tomasson, G. et al. Association of Stress-Related Disorders with Subsequent Autoimmune Disease. JAMA 319(23):2388–2400, 2018.
Zuardi, A. W.; Crippa, J. A.; Hallak, J. E. et al. Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, as an antipsychotic drug. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research 39: 421–429, 2006.
Autoimmune diseases and cannabis sativa
The immune system must first recognize foreign or dangerous substances before it can defend the body against them. These substances include bacteria, viruses, parasites (such as worms), some cancer cells and even transplanted organs and tissues. These substances have molecules that the immune system is able to identify and that can stimulate an immune system response. These molecules are called antigens. Antigens can be contained within cells or on the cell surface (such as bacteria or cancer cells) or be part of a virus.
Autoimmune diseases are a group of different diseases that originate from the fact that the immune system starts to produce antibodies against the components of our own body. For various reasons and not always clear, our body begins to confuse its own proteins with invading agents, starting to attack them.
Therefore, an autoimmune disease is a disease caused by our immune system, which starts to function inappropriately.
One of the studied factors that can initiate an autoimmune disease is stress. Stress, from the biological/biochemical point of view, is a psychophysiological reaction of the body in which it is possible to observe, by different factors, the alteration of homeostasis, a hormonal regulation mechanism. Stress affects about ninety percent of the world population and, in its chronic form, it triggers both physical pathologies and psychological disorders. Studies show that there is the presence of cognitive and sensory mechanisms that affect the body's adaptation to aggressive stimuli, characteristic of stressful situations, which constitute risk factors both for the development of autoimmune diseases and for the destabilization of the immune system.
Different types of autoimmune diseases
There are over 100 types of autoimmune diseases. Some examples are: rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, Guillain-Barré syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, psoriasis, Graves' disease (hyperthyroidism), Hashimoto's thyroiditis (hypothyroidism), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Vasculitis.
The severity of an autoimmune disease depends on the organs affected. In this way, we can divide autoimmune diseases into:
- Local Syndromes: Attack a particular tissue. They can be dermatological, hematological or endocrine in nature. Among them, we find ulcerative colitis and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is a disease practically restricted to the thyroid gland, which is an important organ, but not vital. Patients with this autoimmune disease are able to lead a normal life, just taking one pill a day of thyroid hormone.
- Systemic diseases: Do not affect a specific organ, but can attack several and are more serious, especially those that attack organs and noble structures of the body, such as the central nervous system, heart, lungs and/or blood vessels. This is the case of celiac disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
A common sign of autoimmune disease is inflammation, which manifests itself in redness, localized heat, pain, and swelling. The symptoms of these diseases can be influenced by many factors, environment and general health status. In addition, autoimmune diseases can have active phases alternating with more “sleeping” phases in which symptoms improve or disappear.
In general, inflammation is the symptom that first suggests the presence of the autoimmune disease. In fact, an inflammatory condition is one of the most common situations that may suggest the presence of this type of disorder in the body. Generally, inflammation resulting from autoimmune diseases is indicative of other secondary symptoms, such as pain, joint deformities, weakness and difficulty breathing.
For example, since inflammation in the joints, which can indicate rheumatoid arthritis, some inflammatory processes appear in the skin, nerves, kidneys, brain and in membranes that cover the lungs and heart, in a picture of lupus erythematosus. Although not identified with the naked eye, endemic goiter, resulting from swelling in the neck due to thyroid changes, is another type of inflammation that indicates a sign of autoimmune disease Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
Cannabis sativa alternative in the treatment of autoimmune diseases
Autoimmune diseases affect three times more women than men. Thus, these diseases are one of the 10 leading causes of death in women under the age of 65 years.Currently, many of the treatment protocols for autoimmune diseases are still partially based on glucocorticoids, famous for their potent therapeutic effects, but also infamous for their many adverse effects when used for a very long time, including the increased risk of infections, because the prolonged use of corticosteroids reduces the body's defense response.
In addition to these, hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar level), muscle wasting and weakness, impaired growth (in cases of children), agitation, emotional instability and depression, as well as Cushing's Syndrome, which can cause an increase in abdominal fat, increased chest fat, muscle weakness and psychic disorders.
Cannabis sativa is emerging as an alternative in the treatment of various autoimmune diseases.
The therapeutic use of Cannabis sativa has been known for many years, however, the study of its properties has recently emerged with the discovery of an endogenous cannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system is formed by cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids, metabolizing enzymes and the membrane transporter. With the elucidation of cannabinoid receptors, scientists have increased curiosity regarding the existence of endogenous ligands and have been trying to understand how to intervene in the modulation of the system, whether using synthetic cannabinoids or phytocannabinoids (extracted from Cannabis sativa). The endocannabinoid system comprises the endogenous compounds (endocannabinoids) similar to ∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC), or simply THC, the cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) and the enzymes involved in its metabolism.
In the brain, the CB1 receptor is present in greater amounts in the frontal cortex, basal ganglia and cerebellum. The CB1 receptor is also found in the hypothalamus, anterior cingulate cortex, and hippocampus.
CB2 receptors are found primarily on cells of the immune system, including lymphocytes, macrophages, mast cells, natural killer cells, peripheral mononuclear cells, and microglia. The vast presence of CB2 in immune system cells shows that there may be a possible link to autoimmunity and potential treatments.
THC is a phytocannabinoid with psychoactive properties, responsible for the sensations described as euphoria and loss of recent memory, it also has important medicinal properties. It is a potent hunger stimulant, muscle relaxant, sedative, analgesic, anti-nausea and vomiting (especially those induced by chemotherapy), anti-inflammatory and, for some people, has a positive effect on mood.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid without intoxicating properties. It has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anxiolytic, antidepressant, anticonvulsant, bone stimulant, anti-nausea, neuroprotective capabilities and has an immunomodulatory effect. CBD also modulates the negative effects of THC, such as those related to unwanted psychoactive events such as anxiety, depression or hallucinations.
Several studies show that the various cannabinoids present in the Cannabis sativa plant, as well as terpenes, have the following medicinal effects, isolated or together: anxiolytic and euphoric effects, for anxiety and depression; analgesia, including for neuropathic pain; decreased pain perception, increased pain tolerance; anti-convulsant action; appetite stimulation in the cachexia state; decreased intraocular pressure, useful in cases of glaucoma; anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activity in cancer and autoimmune diseases; antiemetic action; saliva reduction in patients and muscle relaxation for spasticity relief.
Cannabinoids and other components of the Cannabis sativa plant, such as terpenes, have been used as alternative medicine for the treatment of anorexia and cachexia in patients with HIV/AIDS, in addition to the relief of nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. CBD interacts with receptors in the brain and immune system to reduce pain and inflammation.
CBD also inhibits the inflammatory protein interleukin-2, while stimulating an increase in the anti-inflammatory protein interleukin-10.
Research has revealed that cannabinoids inhibit the production of interleukin-6, a protein associated with autoimmune diseases. Another study of the combination of CBD and THC also found that this combination offers an effective way to treat pain without the adverse effects presented by medications normally prescribed by traditional medicine. CBD oil has been found to activate vanilloid and adenosine receptors, which increase serotonin production.
Understanding of autoimmunity
Since the CB2 receptor is widely distributed in immune system cells, this endocannabinoid is a natural candidate for new treatments and for the possible understanding of autoimmunity. Multiple sclerosis currently represents the trademark of autoimmune diseases treated with substances present in Cannabis sativa, with the largest number of researches carried out in this field.
Research has shown the ability of cannabinoids to provide relief for the various ailments brought about by multiple sclerosis. When compared to conventional drugs, they were more effective, producing an attenuation of muscle spasticity, neuropathic pain, in addition to containing cell apoptosis and neuronal inflammation caused by this disease. These are, in fact, benefits that bring new hope to individuals afflicted with multiple sclerosis.
Recent studies, in animal models and in cell cultures, prove the antitumor properties of cannabinoids. Research carried out with the plant Cannabis sativa for medicinal use, concluded at the end of a study with neuro-oncology patients, that Cannabis had a positive effect on the survival of this population.
Anti-inflammatory and other promising roles
Lupus is characterized by pain and inflammation. The use of medicinal Cannabis for lupus can effectively treat both symptoms. By successfully reducing levels of the inflammation-promoting protein interleukin-2 and increasing levels of the anti-inflammatory protein interleukin-10, cannabis shows that it can be beneficial in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as lupus, where inflammation is the main complication. This inflammation is often responsible for pain in the body. Cannabis helps relieve this pain. One of the studies on the use of CBD as a crucial anti-inflammatory found that it interacts with CB1 and CB2 receptors, which are also found on immune cells. As such, cannabinoids, like CBD, play a key role in regulating the immune system.
Based on the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in the control of food intake and energy balance, and on reward behaviors, CB1 receptor antagonists have recently attracted considerable attention to drug studies with promising proposals to combat obesity and associated metabolic dysregulation (such as metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes) and to support smoking cessation.
More than 300 million people are known to suffer from depression across the planet, and many of these people also suffer from anxiety symptoms. CBD has shown promising therapeutic effects to treat a variety of illnesses, including psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression. Interestingly, CBD has also been associated with beneficial effects on blood glucose control. In addition, it is a potential antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory properties, is a stimulator of the immune system, has neurological and cardiovascular protection properties. CBD may have therapeutic properties that can help with diabetes disease and its complications.
In a study on Chron's syndrome, it was observed that users of Cannabis sativa, in the recreational modality, were likely to develop fewer complications related to the disease, such as intrabdominal abscess, active fistulizing disease, need for blood transfusion, colectomy and the need for parenteral nutrition, in addition to the improvement of pain, appetite and diarrhea.
Currently, the search for new remyelinating therapies is mainly focused on identifying the factors that promote myelin sheath repair. What demyelinating diseases share as a common feature is the pathogenic process that affects the myelin sheath, as is the case with Guillain-Barré syndrome. This neuronal coverage allows the proper conduction of nerve impulses.The oligodendrocytes responsible for producing mature myelin are derived during postnatal development from immature cells called oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). OPCs remain in the adult brain and produce new mature oligodendrocytes when myelin is injured. The beneficial role of CBD against immune-mediated damage to OPCs is already known. In fact, cells treated with CBD have less oxidative stress preventing the generation of reactive oxygen species.
Piauhy Labs intends to obtain a Certificate of Compliance with Good Laboratory Practices, in accordance with the OECD principles, for the pharmaceutical area.
As a result of the investigation processes, Piauhy Labs intends to create patents and originate intellectual property, with the ultimate goal of producing innovative medicines that improve the health of the population in general, in this regard in relation to improving the symptoms of patients with autoimmune diseases.
Elmo Resende, Ph.D
Director of R&D
Piauhy Labs
References
Anand, P.; Whiteside, G.; Fowler, C. J. et al. Targeting CB 2 receptors and the endocannabinoid system for the treatment of pain. Brain Res. Ver. 60:255-266, 2009.
Barnes, M. P. Sativex: Clinical efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of symptoms of multiple sclerosis and neuropathic pain. Exp. Opin. Pharm. 7(5), 607- 615, 2006.
Bonfá, L. Cannabinoids in Chronic Pain and Palliative Care. Ver. Bras. Anestesiol. 58 (3), 267-279, 2008.
Chaves, Y. C.; Genarob, K.; Sterna, C. A.; Guaitaa, G. O.; Crippad, J. A. S.; Cunha, J. M. and Zanovelia, J. M. Two-weeks treatment with cannabidiol improves biophysical and behavioral deficits associated with experimental type-1 diabetes. Neuroscience Letters, 729, 11, 6, 2020.
Carlini, E. A. The good and the bad effects of (-) trans-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta 9-THC) on humans. Toxicon. 44: 461–467, 2004.
Crippa, J. A.; Guimarães, F. S.; Campos, A. C. and Zuardi, A. W. Translational investigation of the therapeutic potential of cannabidiol (CBD): toward a new age. Front. Immunol. 9, 2009, 2018.
Devane, W. A.; Dysarz, F. A.; Johnson, M. R.; Melvin, L. S. and Howlett, A. C. Determination and characterization of a cannabinoid receptor in rat brain. Mol. Pharmcol. 34, 605–613, 1988.
di Marzo, V. CB1 receptor antagonism: biological basis for metabolic effects. Drug Discov. Today, 1-16, 2008.
Dobli, R. E. and Kleiman, M. A. R. Marijuana as anti-emetic medicine: a survey of oncologists experiences and attitudes. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 1314-1319, 1991.
Fowler, C. Plant-derived, synthetic and endogenous cannabinoids as neuroprotective agents. Non-psychoactive cannabinoids, ‘entourage’ compounds and inhibitors of N-acyl ethanolamine breakdown as therapeutic strategies to avoid pyschotropic effects. Brain Res. Rev. 41, 26-43, 2003.
Fukuda, S. et al. Cannabinoid receptor 2 as a potential therapeutic target in rheumatoid arthritis. BMC Musculoskelet. Disord. 15: 275, 2014.
Haj, C.G. et al. HU-444, a novel, potent anti-inflammatory, nonpsychotropic cannabinoid. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 355: 66- 75, 2015.
Katchan, V.; Davia, P. and Shoenfeld, Y. Cannabinoids and autoimmune diseases: A systemic review. Autoimmun. Rev. 15(6): 513-528, 2016.
Katz, D.; Katz, I.; Porat-Katz, B. S. and Shoenfeld, Y. Medical Cannabis – another piece in the mosaic of autoimmunity? Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2016.
Klein, T. W.; Newton, C. A., and Friedman, H. Cannabinoids and the immune system. Pain Res. Manag. 6:95-101, 2001.
Moreira, F. A.; Grieb, M. and Lutz, B. Central side-effects of therapies based on CB1 cannabinoid receptor agonists and antagonists: focus on anxiety and depression. Best Pract. Res. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 23:133-144, 2009.
Munro, S.; Thomas, K. L. and Abu-Shaar, M. Molecular characterization of a peripheral receptor for cannabinoids. Nature, 365(6441), 61–65, 1993.
Navarrete, C.; García-Martín, A.; Rolland, A.; DeMesa, J. and Muñoz, E. Cannabidiol and Other Cannabinoids in Demyelinating Diseases. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 22, 2992, 2021.
Perricone, C.; Agmon-Levin, N. and Shoenfeld, Y. Novel pebbles in the mosaic of autoimmunity. BMC Medicine, 11(1): 101, 2013.
Richardson, D.; Pearson, R. C.; Kurian, N., et al., Characterization of the cannabinoid receptor system in synovial tissue and fluid in patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Research & Therapy 10: R43, 2008.
Rieder, S. A.; Chauhan, A.; Singh, U.; Nagarkatti, M. and Nagarkatti P. Cannabinid-induced apoptosis in immune cells as a pathway to immunosuppression. Immunobiology. 215(8): 598 – 605, 2010.
Song, H.; Fang, F.; Tomasson, G. et al. Association of Stress-Related Disorders with Subsequent Autoimmune Disease. JAMA 319(23):2388–2400, 2018.
Zuardi, A. W.; Crippa, J. A.; Hallak, J. E. et al. Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, as an antipsychotic drug. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research 39: 421–429, 2006.
Autoimmune diseases are a group of different diseases that originate from the fact that the immune system starts to produce antibodies against the components of our own body
