עבריתTHC – The holy grail of cannabis – benefits, side effects & facts
- Wednesday, March 17 2021 at 18:37
- Snir Mutzafi
- THC
- 9 minutes
THC, or Tetra-Hydro Cannabinol is one of at least 100 Phytocannabinoids that exist in the Cannabis Sativa plant and is the psychoactive ingredient in Cannabis. It was Israel's chemist Refael Meshulam who isolated the substances in late 1964 from Lebanese Hashish, in Jerusalem. The chemical formation of THC takes place in a process known as Decarbonization - a process in which Cannabinoid acids inhibiting the "fresh" cannabis plant turn into active Cannabinoids with different applications by exposure to high temperatures via smoking or vaporizing. THC releases at 155 degrees Celsius (compared to 165 Celsius of CBD). THC is the one responsible for the "high" euphoric sensation humans have been actively searching for centuries while using Cannabis for recreational purposes. THC mimics the natural chemical known as Anandamide - our body's very own Endocannabinoid, allowing it to bind with CB1 receptors in the brain - causing a release of neurotransmitters such as Dopamine, responsible for interaction between cells and roles in effects such as:
THC's concentrations in cannabis are the highest of any other Cannabinoids, but THC's potential is much greater than just giving an individual a "BUZZ". A prime example is the prevention of Nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, and medications such as:
So why are people so in love with this euphoric/high? since it includes the effects of:
But we are not (at the moment at least) a recreational blog, but a medicinal one, so let us mix pleasure with business
THC as an analgesic compound has been renowned for decades, But is it relevant to all types of pain? what do we know today? Neuropathic pain can be caused by a variety of diseases and mechanisms such as:
THC displayed "enhanced antinociceptive efficacy" in diabetic rats, in comparison with Morphine - which exhibits a reduction in antinociceptive efficacy. In the same study, when given in conjunction with Morphine, THC improved the analgesic properties of morphine in both diabetic and naïve mice (not previously subjected to experiments), suggesting that combining Cannabinoids and Opioids may be a potent combination as an analgesic enhancement in humans. HIV and other viral infections are also culprits of neuropathic pain, an anonymous questionnaire was given to 565 HIV-positive patients, 143 of whom (27%) reported using cannabis for symptom management, and 90% of those consuming cannabis marked improvement when it comes to their Neuropathic pain, cannabis (THC at "tolerable dose" of 1%-8%) "significantly" reduced neuropathic pain in comparison to the placebo, 52% reported more than 30%(!) reduction in pain compared to the placebo group (24%) via smoking.
Induced Neuropathic pain, MS is associated with spasticity, pain, tremors, and stiffness. Dronabinol (Marinol) is a synthetic man-made compound containing cannabinoids (including of course THC), orally given at a maximum dosage (10mg daily) compared to placebo, median pain was exponentially lower than during placebo given, the same conclusion in multiple trials. In contrast, treatment with cannabinoids such as THC did not grant a "beneficial effect" on spasms in this study - The American FDA already approved Synthetic forms of THC for:
The synergy of different compounds of the cannabis plant has been discussed in different articles on our blog, so we will focus just on THC's connection to the Entourage Effect. CBD's modulation of THC's psychoactive effects has been covered previously here, but what about cannabis's other compounds?
The so-called "Opioid Crisis" has become a hot topic in recent years, claiming tens of thousands of lives in the US alone each year and ruining countless families, can cannabis aid in this crisis? Fewer opioid prescriptions were given by orthopedic surgeons in the state allowing patients access to cannabis. The state of Colorado had a huge decrease in opioid use (31.5%) from 2012-2017 than Utah and Maryland (which have not legalized recreational cannabis in comparison). (19) Patients using opioids reported a "significant reduction" in the dosage use of Morphine via the mouth. Oral synthetic THC (Dronabinol) given to patients with traumatic injury (33 cases) compared to other 33 controlled cases used opioids significantly less.
Cannabis as an antiemetic agent has been around for almost 50 years, the first cannabinoid agonist - Nabilone (Cesamet) - a synthetic analog of THC was licensed precisely for suppressing nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. Two systemic reviews of 30 randomized comparisons (up until the year 2000 and 2008 respectively) of cannabis given orally and via muscular injections, judged its efficacy in treating sickness induced by chemotherapy. The first review Concluded that in "selected patients", cannabis can benefit patients as:
The downside? (since we're not living in Narnia) adverse effects reported as more "intense" which may limit potential usage of cannabinoids resulting in:
The latest review suggests that although "There was not a statistically significant difference between the following Cannabinoids and Dronabinol Nabilone Levonantradol and Placebo Neuroleptics". There was a significant difference in favor of these cannabinoids in comparison, mentioning again the patients preferred cannabinoids as their anti-emetic medication while under chemotherapy.
Through the activation of CB1 receptors, THC increases appetite through different mechanisms. The consumption method of THC through:
Affected calories intake differently, an interesting find was that suppositories granted bigger daily caloric intake than consuming via oral capsules. Remember, the method of administration affects the rate (speed) of absorption and the potency (influence).
The effect of THC on Glaucoma has been studied for half a century, early studies as early as the 1970s have found a decrease of 25-30% in IOP (Intraocular Pressure) by digesting THC, a significant decrease for 3 to 4 hours after consumption - so why is cannabis usage of glaucoma not as prevalent? To treat Glaucoma and save your vision - the pressure on the eye has to be under control not for a few hours - but 24/7\\, smoking THC was found to lead to unstable IOP - furthering the risk of losing sight. Which means:
"High" sensation aside, THC can cause unwanted and unpleasant side effects by affecting different parts of your brain causing:
What is tolerance? THC activates CB1 receptors thus making you feel high, repeated exposure of your brain to THC lasting weeks or months causes your body to preemptively act - to reduce the constant increase of CB1 activity to conserve the normal levels it is used to. Thus tolerance is invoked by the reduction of CB1 receptors, causing their effect to decrease to lower THC's impact - so to reach the same high you were used to, a larger dose will be needed - this is what tolerance means. So, if tolerance to THC exists, is it manageable? Withdrawal signs can be more powerful when there are fewer CB1 receptors available. This sounds logical, fewer sources of stimulation means more "stress", it is speculated that tolerance is a direct result of internalization of CB1 receptors caused by an overload of consuming THC, thus explaining why abstaining from cannabis compared to other drugs results in faster brain recovery - consumers of cannabis report that after 2 weeks of abstinence, chronic users saw a return to "normal" in comparison to non-users.
THC's effects vary between individuals, you should consider before consuming the following factors:
In small dosages, THC can offer you desired sensations such as:
Potency = the amount of THC in the cannabis you consume, a product marked as 20% THC and 200 mg / g have 200 milligrams of THC per 1 gram of cannabis. What is considered as particularly "potent"? Strength and duration of your THC hit will depend on the particular marijuana strain as well as on your choice of consumption. Weed varieties with a THC level of more than 20% are considered particularly potent. Such strains can include the likes of Sour Diesel (15-25%), Yoda OG (up to 28%), and Blue Dream (17-24%). Strains of cannabis products with a 1: 1 ratio of CBD to THC may help reduce the chance of experiencing these unwanted adverse effects - since CBD (link to another article) has been suggested to mitigate THC's potency.
Under federal law in the US, the use and possession of cannabis are illegal, THC by itself is classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, which means the potential for abuse is high and not tolerated for medicinal use. That's on a federal level, but different states across America vary by law.
