Intro to Medical Cannabis

Our engagement with cannabis is uniquely "medical." Cannabis contains dozens of medicinal components called cannabinoids (in addition to terpenes and flavonoids). Our own body also produces endogenous cannabinoids or endocannabinoids (eCB). Thus when we utilize cannabis - its active ingredients are interacting with and modulating our own natural endocannaboid system.

Be sure to read Dr. Ethan Russo on the eCB System.

The discovery of this endogeous cannabinoid system has been what renewed the scientific and medical research in to cannabis and cannbinoids in the past twenty years. The cannabis plant's THC and other cannabinoids mimics compounds found in the brain and elsewhere, named endocannabinoids which was discovered only in 1992 and 1995. This neurotransmitter system (eCB) went undetected for decades because it involves an unheard of concept, retrograde transmission, or reversed flow of information from the post synapse to the pre-synapse.

We produced endocannabinoids in at least two general locations. CB1 receptors are abundant in the higher levels of the brain, the spinal neuron tissue, cortex, cerebellum but low in the brain stem. And there are CB2 receptors found predominantly in the lower intestine, in every major organ and actually throughout the body. In other words it turns out that the eCB system has more receptors that all the other receptors in the human body together.

The CB1 receptors are involved in the regulation of various cerebral functioning including pain perception, mood, appetite and memory. The natural endocannabinoids production in the gut (CB2) assists in the regulation of the immune system and gut motility (pooping). Scientists have come to believe that the eCB system is THE regulator for the human body. There is literally not a body function that is not modulated by it. The eCB system represents the largest neurotransmitter system in the brain and immune system. Since the sum of an individual’s homeostatic activities is represented by one’s health. It is now known that the endocannabinoid system is an all-pervasive modulator of our biochemistry. Thus endocannabinoids regulate all body systems including cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine, excretory, immunological, nervous, musculo-skeletal, respiratory, reproductive, tegumentary (skin) where they often exert health-promoting properties.

Since the eCB system has a normal state - doctors began to wonder what diseases we would get if we had a shortage of endocannabinoids produced. We now believe that multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, lupus, Crohn’s may all be diseases relating to a shortage of natural endocannabinoids - now called endocannabinoid deficiency. This explains why cannabis assists patients with these conditions.

Thus Green Buddha has found that cannabis caps or maripills – extra virgin coconut oil with cannabis extract in a gel cap – can be extremely useful for those with autoimmune diseases and gut motility issues. This should come as no surprise for if as we now believe those conditions are caused by natural endocannabinoid shortage and we're feeding the CB2 receptor cannabinoids.

"The endocannabinoid system regulates many key physiological processes from feeding to memory formation, perhaps even extending to the biochemistry underlying individual personalities,” said Dr. Mechoulam. “I look forward to researching and developing products that support balanced endocannabinoid system function in both health and disease. Technical innovation by Phytecs in natural products chemistry, genomics and bioinformatics may create the next generation of cannabinoid medicines.” (Dr. Mechoulem is considered the world's greatest cannabinologist and the discoverer of THC.)

Despite this fact Only 13% of American medical schools teach the endocannabinoid science to our future doctors.