Table of contents:
- Foreword
- Introduction: drug classification
- Neurotransmitters affected:
- Psychoactive effects of thc
- Immediate effects
- Long-term effects
- SCHIZOPHRENIA AND THC
- Pharmaceutical uses of cannabis derivatives and anandamide.
Rating: 4 (2 votes) 2 comments By Marjorie Carevic. March 9, 2018
Already in 1997 the figure of 300 million habitual users of cannabis in the world was estimated. Mostly after a more or less fraudulent obtaining, given that derivatives of the Cannabis Sativa plant are prohibited in the vast majority of countries, considering it for the most part as a recreational drug. We invite you to continue reading this PsicologíaOnline article, if you want to solve your doubts about THC. Drug, medicine or both?
You may also be interested in: Classification of drugs - WHO and its effects Index- Foreword
- Introduction: drug classification
- Neurotransmitters affected:
- Psychoactive effects of thc
- Pharmaceutical uses of cannabis derivatives and anandamide.
Foreword
In 2004, countries such as Great Britain, conservative and in the heart of an old and also conservative Europe, reopened the debate on the use of cannabis derivatives in scientific and more specifically medical uses, including the possible legalization of the cultivation of cannabis for these purposes. plant.
Headlines that can be found very easily and easily in the press show the increase in tolerance to this substance, mainly due to recent studies and scientific discoveries in this regard to which we will refer in this article:
- Cannabis, about to recover its historical healing role
- British government plans to approve cannabis-derived pain relievers in 2004
- The Canadian government authorizes the therapeutic use of marijuana.
- One study suggests that the main active ingredient in marijuana slows tumor growth.
- …..
In the same medium, you can also find headlines that show the open and fiery debate surrounding this chemical component.
- Study advises against medical use of cannabis
- A cannabis derivative is less effective than regular therapy in improving the appetite of cancer patients
- Marijuana use damages long-term memory.
- ……
Throughout this article we will try to give a global vision of the possible admission of this chemical compound in scientific studies for possible human benefit and controlled exploitation.
Much of the problems associated with this drug (marginalization, drug trafficking, abandonment, risk of introduction into drugs considered by the WHO most dangerous, and other urban legends…) are based on a real problem.
All these risks are real for the simple fact of their illegality and lack of sanitary control, due to the obligation to consume "secretly" under the risk of fines greater than driving a vehicle without a driving license, due to the inevitable contact with drug traffickers to obtain product, which are usually in contact with various drugs or are accessible, etc…
Not to mention that the authorities are aware of the adulteration to which these products are subjected, already addictive per se (heroin, cocaine, cannabis,…) with major addictives and with highly toxic products such as gasoline or slaughterhouses. A sanitary control of the composition of the product consumed would avoid many unnecessary poisonings with other products, and what is worse, a possible new addiction to highly toxic substances used to cut the drug that reaches the streets. And therefore to our society and youth.
It is clear that the more you have to lose, the less risk of falling into drugs there is, therefore the most vulnerable population: the youth, must be informed and educated with scientific rigor.
In any case, this article will not defend the possible legalization of THC taking into account its ludic nature, but its possible use in medical and health environments. Trying to demonstrate that a product classified as harmful to health can contribute to improving the quality of life in the future.
Introduction: drug classification
Drugs or drugs can be classified by:
1. Due to its effects on the Central Nervous System (CNS)
A. Depressants of the CNS
Family of substances that have in common their ability to interfere with the normal functioning of the brain, causing reactions that can range from disinhibition to coma, in a progressive process of brain numbness. The most important of this group are:
- Alcohol
- Opiates: heroin, morphine, methadone, etc.
- Tranquilizers: pills to calm anxiety
- Hypnotics: sleeping pills
B. Stimulants of CNS
Group of substances that accelerate the normal functioning of the brain, among which we can highlight:
- Major Stimulants: Amphetamines and Cocaine
- Minor Stimulants: Nicotine and Xanthines (caffeine, theobromine, etc.)
C. Disturbing the CNS
Substances that alter the functioning of the brain, leading to perceptual distortions, hallucinations, etc.
- Hallucinogens: LSD, mescaline, etc.
- Cannabis derivatives: hashish, marijuana, etc.
- Inhalants: ketones, benzenes, etc.
- Synthetic drugs: ecstasy, Eva, etc.
2. Because of its dangerousness
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified drugs according to their dangerousness, defined according to the following criteria:
A. More Dangerous
- Those that create physical dependence.
- Those that create dependency faster
- Those with the highest toxicity
B. Less Dangerous
- Those that create only psychic dependence
- Those that create dependency less quickly
- Those with less toxicity
Based on these criteria, classify drugs into four groups:
Group 1: Opium and derivatives (morphine, heroin, etc.)
Group 2: Barbiturates and alcohol.
Group 3: Cocaine and amphetamines.
Group 4: LSD, cannabis, etc.
3. By the sociocultural codification of their consumption
A. Institutionalized drugs
Those that have legal recognition and a regulatory use, when not a clear promotion (advertising, etc…), despite being the ones that generate the most social and health problems. Among us, it would be mainly alcohol, tobacco and psychoactive drugs.
B. Non-institutionalized drugs
Its sale is sanctioned by law, having a minority use among various groups for which they play an identifying role. Despite their restricted consumption, they are the ones that generate the most social alarm as a consequence of the stereotypes with which they are correlated (crime, marginalization, etc.)
According to these classifications, cannabis could be summarized as a non-institutionalized drug or whose sale is sanctioned by law in most countries, disturbing the central nervous system, and yet classified as a soft drug by the World Health Organization far behind. of institutionalized and integrated drugs such as alcohol: exciting.
It is perhaps one of the few drugs, of which it can be said that there is no lethal history due to an overdose. And it really is an argument that has not been exactly ignored by its detractors. Even so, no case of death from ingestion or consumption of THC has been found.
1. THE CANNABIS.
Cannabis comes from the Cannabis Sativa plant, with a worldwide popular appearance due to its characteristic five green serrated leaves.
The current form of consumption is inhaled or by ingestion, the latter being more psychoactively toxic than the former.
The traditional joint, however, has been shown to be the equivalent for lung disease, to smoking 6-7 cigarettes according to the conclusions of a study by the French National Institute of Consumption.
This plant contains a chemical substance responsible for the psychoactive effect of its consumption called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (notably simplified under the acronym: THC) and which was identified in 1964.
The very important discovery in 1992 of an endogenous brain chemistry: anandamide, has to reopen and in fact has succeeded, the debate on cannabis and its traditional scientific and therapeutic use (there is a history of cultivation in China and Turkestan dating from the fourth millennium BC, and between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, one of the most flourishing times for the Arab world, hashish was accepted and consumed legally. Of course there have also been times where it has been punished with harsh penalties. There are voices however that explain its most recent illegalization almost worldwide (throughout this century) with economic interests of flax and cotton versus hemp)
2. THE ANANDAMIDE:
The truth is that today THC is illegal, but not anandamide. Anandamide walks with us along with endorphins and other own brain chemicals. Anandamide is to THC the same as enforphins to morphine. It is the same equation. This substance is the brain's own cannabis.
It is known that THC (delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which we have mentioned as the psychoactive factor of the substance), is assimilated through CANNABINOID RECEPTORS.
These receptors are housed in different areas of the brain in numerous neurons and their existence is known before knowing the presence in the body of anandamide. Which, after its discovery, gave meaning to these receptors.
These receptors have the specific function of capturing and assimilating THC and may be the key to the antidepressants of the future. These antidepressants would not consist of introducing exogenous THC into the body, but on the contrary, just as antidepressants act by blocking the blockade of serotonin, the new drugs could unblock the emission of anandamide in the brain and thus be produced in a way endogenous and natural, without harm to the lungs and digestive system, effects similar to those produced by THC.
Let's see what they are.
3. EFFECTS OF THC ON THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.
The brain areas in which cannabinoid receptors are housed are various: from the regions that affect the field of memory (hippocampus), to those of concentration (cerebral cortex), perception (sensory portions of the cerebral cortex) and movement (cerebellum, substantia nigra, and globe pallus).
According to publications from the University of Washington, it appears that, in medium-low doses, THC causes:
- Relaxation
- Reduced coordination
- Low blood pressure
- Drowsiness
- Attention failures
- Perception disturbances (time / space)
In high doses it can cause:
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
- Memory loss
- Disorientation
Neurotransmitters affected:
Mainly norepinephrine and dopamine, but serotonin and GABA levels can also be altered.
Psychoactive effects of thc
There are many sources that explain the effects on the body of introducing the chemistry of tetrahydrocannabinol into the blood. Taking specialized sources in the treatment of addictions, we can expand a little on the information from the American University presented above.
Immediate effects
Initially, low doses can produce pleasant sensations of calm and well-being, increased appetite, euphoria, disinhibition, loss of concentration, decreased reflexes, desire to speak and laugh, red eyes, rapid heart rate, dry mouth and throat, difficulty in executing complex mental processes, alterations in temporal and sensory perception, and may decrease short-term memory. This is followed by a second phase of depression and drowsiness.
In high doses, it can cause confusion, lethargy, excitement, anxiety, altered perception of reality and, more unusually, panic states and hallucinations.
Long-term effects
The much discussed "amotivational syndrome" (decreased personal initiative) stands out, together with a frequent decrease in the ability to concentrate and memorize.
SCHIZOPHRENIA AND THC
As can be seen, even the controversy accompanies the symptoms of cannabis intoxication: anxiety and calm, euphoria and drowsiness… This symptomatic ambivalence misleads many new users and thus, if for an anxiety disorder accustomed to its effects it will be relaxing and Anxiolytic, for a novice consumer, can produce symptoms similar to that of a panic attack.
The same thing happens with cannabis psychosis.
Acute THC intoxication can simulate a temporary picture of schizophrenia. In fact, this class of intoxication is known as cannabis psychosis. We will study the relationship between schizophrenia and THC below, but as of today, we anticipate that there is no conclusive evidence of a relationship between the development of schizophrenia and the habitual use of cannabis, although a common denominator is found in the worse prognosis and evolution of EXISTING schizophrenias and schizophreniform disorders.
This nuance is crucial. However, we will review the warnings that are made from more conservative positions of the scientific community despite considering them in part alarmist:
If something can be appreciated in the observation of the habitual consumer of hashish, they are noticeable and repeated schizotypal tendencies in highly variable samples of consumers (mysticism, neo-hyppies, unusual interest in strange and paranormal experiences, belief in telepathy and a common denominator of magical and narcissistic beliefs. Increases the existing social phobia (do not believe it), etc…)
This tendency to the schizotypal that surrounds the world of the smoker and consumer of hashish and marijuana is what can be a possible premorbid state of schizophrenia. That is to say. That before falling into schizophrenia due to the habitual consumption of hashish, one would first have to go through a schizotype, which, if it could degenerate with the consumption of hashish into schizophrenia, which, in turn, has a worse prognosis and proven evolution with THC in the blood.
But despite the fact that we will review several sources alarmed by this relationship, it is not scientifically corroborated enough for the conclusive statement of specific risk in the relationship between consuming THC and developing schizophrenia if it is not latent or there is a significant risk of suffering from it.
Let's say that psychotic patients would be a population at risk when it comes to worsening their ailment, but the healthy population should not have to associate the consumption of THC and in the future of ANANDAMIDE with schizophrenia or psychosis.
That yes. The families of schizophrenia have a poor prognosis with the habitual use of hashish and marijuana and this is indicated by different sources:
1. Professor Robin Murray from Maudsley Hospital in South London, and one of Britain's leading mental health experts, initiated a study in light of the social alarm caused by the reclassification of hashish as a drug on the island, from B to C on the same level as steroids and tranquilizers. The conclusions were as follows:
- "What we found is that cannabis almost always exacerbates psychosis symptoms in people who already have (or have a family history) of mental health problems."
They followed the study for four years of the evolution of the test individuals and concluded that:
- "Those who used cannabis when we met them and continued to do so showed an evolution three times worse than those who had never used."
Professor Louse Arsenault began studies whose results have been confirmed by recent work by Murray. In these studies they took a sample of 1000 individuals from birth to 26 years. They were interviewed for drug use at ages 15 and 18 and the results are chilling:
- “The conclusion was that, I use cannabis at 18, there was a 60% higher risk of becoming psychotic than of not using. But the most alarming thing is that with 15 years the risk soared to 450% ”.
They also concluded that children with quasi-psychotic ideas could develop them with cannabis use.
However, Murray himself acknowledges that the extent of the sequelae and injuries caused by cannabis to the brain cannot be known. And in fact it stands out that it is already prepared in a natural way to receive substances with similar effects. The suspicion of a possible relationship with psychosis is estimated in the relationship of cannabinoid receptors with dopamine receptors.
Drugs that increase the brain's dopamine levels (cocaine and amphetamine for example) are known to increase the chances of having a psychotic episode. In fact they are the receptors blocked by legal psychiatric drugs.
However this is already a conjecture of Professor Murray. A suspicion.
2. Other headlines alarm as follows:
NEITHER NOR ENOUGH, concludes the French National Institute.
4. Finally, we will review a more moderate article by the Mexican psychiatrist Dr. José Antonio Elizondo López, Founder and President of the Center for Comprehensive Attention in Addiction Problems (CAIPA), in Mexico City.
This psychiatrist distinguishes between three classes of disorders related to drug addiction and schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorders.
- Toxic psychosis with a schizophrenic pattern in drug addicts who are not schizophrenic. (There are many cases of schizophrenic experiences related to hallucinogens such as peyote, lsd, mushrooms,..)
- Individuals with potential schizophrenia who develop their first schizophrenic outbreak related to the use of certain drugs. These outbreaks are more resistant to psychiatric medication than a spontaneous one.
- Schizophrenics who, regardless of their illness, use drugs or alcohol. The latter would suffer from a dual disorder that would have to be treated as such.
Well, as we said at the beginning of the article, there is nothing conclusive, but there are many caveats that should not be disregarded.
In any case, the use and exploitation of Anandamide would not involve the consumption of any kind of drugs, but rather an exploitation of the natural resources themselves.
They say that the human body is like a forest for a druid: drugs and drugs. With one or another utility. And coincidentally always practical.
Let's see possible applications of the discovery of anandamide in the field of medicine interesting to finish.
Pharmaceutical uses of cannabis derivatives and anandamide.
1. MARINOL:
Marinol is the only legal drug authorized by the FDA, the body that regulates the management and approval of drugs in the US, which contains derivatives of cannabis.
Behavioral altering effects have been found in some patients with it.
It is applied to treat nausea in patients receiving chemotherapy and to increase appetite in AIDS patients.
2. AJULEMIC ACID:
Unlike Marinol, its promoters, one of them Dr. Summer Burstein from the University of Massachusetts, assure that the juleic acid that makes up the experimental drug CT-3, derived from tetrahydrocannabinol, does not produce behavioral alterations and can be tremendously effective as analgesic.
In animals it has been found to be between 10 and 50 times more powerful, compared to traditional analgesics such as aspirin, and being less harmful to the stomach and digestive system.
The goal of this drug is to combat chronic pain and inflammation in patients with arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
Its promoters assure that "it does not place".
3. ANANDAMIDE: OPEN THE DOOR TO THE ANTIDEPRESSANTS OF THE FUTURE
An article from Mundo Salud in 2002 refers to a study carried out to understand the functioning of anandamide and to use it in a beneficial way.
For the first time it has been discovered how anxiety and depression are controlled through the release of this natural compound that is involved in the perception of pain, in the mood and also in other psychological functions, such as sleep.
It has been possible to find two compounds: URB532 and URB597, which neutralize the activity of the enzyme that blocks the emission and reception of anandamide in the brain. Prozac works in a similar way on serotonin.
With this discovery the door is open to the future, but as Pirelli says, “there are still many years of research to go to market, and that is very expensive. Many drugs never come to light for economic reasons and interests, not because they are not known to be more effective ”.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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