Mixed Results With THC Antidepressants

[Xil]

» Mixed Results With THC Antidepressants - Psych Central News

Mixed Results With THC Antidepressants
By: Psych Central Senior News Editor
on Wednesday, Oct, 24, 2007

Reviewed by: John M. Grohol, Psy.D.
on October 24, 2007 at 9:26 am

A new study has found that a synthetic form of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, is an effective anti-depressant at low doses.

However, at higher doses, the effect reverses itself and can actually worsen depression and other psychiatric conditions like psychosis.

The study is published in The Journal of Neuroscience.

Scientists have been known for many years that depletion of the brain neurotransmitter serotonin, leads to depression.

Common SSRI-class anti-depressants like Prozac and Celexa work by enhancing the available concentration of serotonin in the brain. However, this study offers the first evidence that cannabis can also increase serotonin, at least at lower doses.

Laboratory animals were injected with the synthetic cannabinoid WIN55,212-2 and then tested with the Forced Swim test – a test to measure “depression” in animals; the researchers observed an antidepressant effect of cannabinoids paralleled by an increased activity in the neurons that produce serotonin. However, increasing the cannabinoid dose beyond a set point completely undid the benefits, said Dr. Gobbi.

“Low doses had a potent anti-depressant effect, but when we increased the dose, the serotonin in the rats’ brains actually dropped below the level of those in the control group. So we actually demonstrated a double effect: At low doses it increases serotonin, but at higher doses the effect is devastating, completely reversed.”

The anti-depressant and intoxicating effects of cannabis are due to its chemical similarity to natural substances in the brain known as “endo-cannabinoids,” which are released under conditions of high stress or pain, explained Dr. Gobbi.

They interact with the brain through structures called cannabinoid CB1 receptors. This study demonstrates for the first time that these receptors have a direct effect on the cells producing serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that regulates the mood.

Dr. Gobbi and her colleagues were prompted to explore cannabis’ potential as an anti-depressant through anecdotal clinical evidence, she said.

“As a psychiatrist, I noticed that several of my patients suffering from depression used to smoke cannabis. And in the scientific literature, we had some evidence that people treated with cannabis for multiple sclerosis or AIDS showed a big improvement in mood disorders. But there were no laboratory studies demonstrating the anti-depressant mechanism of action of cannabis.”

Because controlling the dosage of natural cannabis is difficult – particularly when it is smoked in the form of marijuana joints – there are perils associated with using it directly as an anti-depressant.

“Excessive cannabis use in people with depression poses high risk of psychosis,” said Dr. Gobbi.

Instead, she and her colleagues are focusing their research on a new class of drugs which enhance the effects of the brain’s natural endo-cannabinoids.

“We know that it’s entirely possible to produce drugs which will enhance endo-cannabinoids for the treatment of pain, depression and anxiety,” she said.

Source: McGill University

Nothing mind boggling or earth shaking, just some food for thought.

[Xil]

By the way if you find random little studies like this (though not usually about cannabis) interesting i recommend you sign up for the Psych Central newsletter, which you can sign up for on the website i got this article from.

[Pharm Girl]

I wonder if the synthetic THC they speak of is a form of Cesamet?

[Xil]

^WIN 55,212-2 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Pharm Girl]

You found the diagrams I was looking for!

The first one is the Nabilone/Cesamet.

Good man..........~

[Captain Cannabis]

what is the 2nd one? it is nothing like the 1st one

[Pharm Girl]

Win 55,212-2

[Captain Cannabis]

interesting

[burn-out]

Originally Posted by Pharm Girl

You found the diagrams I was looking for!

The first one is the Nabilone/Cesamet.

Good man..........~

yes they are quite different, yet they are both still cannabinoids...look at endogenous cannabinoids, they look even more different...how can this be?...well armed with our modern day v2.0 definition, you dont need to look like anything anymore to be a cannabinoid...you just need to bind to one of the cannabinoid receptors...the first one, cesamet (aka nabilone) came from the SAR (structure activity relationship) research of the classical cannabinoids/synthetic cannibinoids based on thc...the second one win 55,212-2 was born out the the SAR of pravadoline....since some of these compounds are inherently flexible (look at endogenous cannabinoids), it makes for fun computational work (although a little to nerdy for these forums)

[Pharm Girl]

(look at endogenous cannabinoids), it makes for fun computational work (although a little to nerdy for these forums)

Thanks for the info.............I'l l need to do more scientific homework....~

It is well known that endogenous opioids act to suppress pain. New research reveals that endogenous cannabinoids likewise exist and function as stress-induced analgesics

.
Analgesia through endogenous cannabinoids -- Secko 173 (4): 357 -- Canadian Medical Association Journal

I'm checking...........

[Arctic Fox]

“Excessive cannabis use in people with depression poses high risk of psychosis,” said Dr. Gobbi.

I don't see how she (he) got that conclusion.

I wonder if they considered supplementation to counter these effects. I mean, marijuana users can take 5-HTP (or tryptophan which converts to 5-HTP), and dose at the same time 500mg vitamin C (stops the 5-HTP from converting to melatonin) and you've got the immediate making of seritonin (which 5-HTP converts to).