cannabinoids rebecca r

MARIJUANAAndrea Trementozzi,

Rebecca Raftery, Julius Parker, Sophie

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Cannabis sativa• Botanical name for hemp

• Plant native to Central Asia

• Probably traded on Silk Road trade route, after Chinese discovered it 4000 years ago

• Napoleon III’s troops returned to France with hasish (“hash”) from Egypt in 1800s– This led to the introduction of hemp in the

Western World

Cannabis sativa

http://www.abc.net.au/health/library/img/cannabis_leaf.gif

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Endocannabinoids

• Exist naturally in nervous and immune systems of animals•Anandamide: neurotransmitter that binds

to cannabinoid receptors

• Act on presynaptic terminals

• Travel “backwards” from postsynaptic terminal and act on presynaptic terminal•Retrograde Signaling

Phytocannabinoids

• Found in the Cannabis sativa plant– THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol): primary

active drug component of hemp plant– Cannabinol (CBN): mildly psychoactive– Cannabidiol (CBD): not psychoactive

Synthetic Cannabinoids

• Created synthetically in the laboratory

• First reported synthesis was in 1963 by Mechoulam and Yehiel Gaoni

• Were able to reconstruct THC configurations in their lab



http://origin.arstechnica.com/journals/science.media/cannabinoid.jpg

• CBD, CBG, CBN, and CBC are cannabinoids found in strain of hemp plant

• CBD is psychoactive (acts mostly on CNS causing changes in mood), CBG and CBN are non-psychoactive

• structures of each are very similar, most variation occurs in hydroxyl groups

• -THC has a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol structure

• -it is also psychoactive like CBD• -the difference between THC and CBD is

again one variation of a hydroxyl group• -CBD adds an extra hydrogen to create OH

on the lower left piece of the structure• -CBD also adds an extra hydgrogen where

there is none in THC

History of Usage

• Hemp seeds were used as food in China

• Sometimes used as tea leaves• Used fruits and leaves for medicinal

purposes• In Egypt, used for its effects on mind

and body– Anti-anxiety

How Cannabinoids Are Used

• Smoked in a joint, bong, cigar, or pipe

• Mixed in tea and food



http://blog.bioethics.net/joint.jpg

Mind/Body Effects• Intoxication

• Dry Mouth

• Rapid Heartbeat

• Loss of coordination/ balance

• Slow reaction time

• Red eyes

• Distorted Perception

Mind/Body Effects cont’d

• Problems with short-term memory

• Decrease in problem-solving skills

• “The Munchies”

• (Anxiety/Paranoia)

• (Raise in blood pressure)

• (Sleepiness)

• http://health.howstuffworks.com/marijuana2.htm



THC• delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol

• Green/gray mixture of shredded & dried Cannabis leaves and flowers

• 3% of the average marijuana joint is THC



Hashish (Hash)• Resin from trichomes (resin glands) in Cannabis plant

• Mainly cultivated in the Middle East and northern Africa

• Reddish-brown color

• Dried and compressed into balls, cakes, and cookie-like sheets

• Pieces are smoked from a pipe

Hashish, cont’d

http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/Drug_Guide/Hashish



Marinol® (Dronabinol)

• Synthetic cannabinoid (chemically created)– Active ingredient Dronabinol = synthetic THC

• Prescription drug in the form of capsules• Primarily used to alleviate nausea in cancer

patients undergoing chemotherapy• Also used to stimulate appetite for patients

with anorexia due to AIDS

Marinol®, cont’d

http://www.rxlist.com/marinol-drug.htmwww.glenwoodsmith.comhttp://www.theodora.com/drugs/images/406.jpg



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http://www.rxlist.com/marinol-drug.htm

http://www.glenwoodsmith.com/

Dronabinol vs. THC

• Dronabinol is the active ingredient in Marinol

• It is a synthesized variation of the regular delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol structure (basically the same structure as THC)

Mode of Action in the Brain

• Active ingredient, THC, in Cannibus, binds to g-protein-coupled receptors in the brain

• Prevents the natural endocannabinoids from binding correctly

• Most cannabinoid receptors are found in the cerebellum and basal ganglia– Explains the loss of motor control and balance

Mode of Action in the Brain, cont’d

• THC also binds to receptors in the hippocampus, causing problems with short-term memory



Marijuana Statistics

• According to the U.S. Dept. of Justice, Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the U.S.

• Reaction time for motor skills (like driving), is lowered by 41% after smoking 1 joint, and reduced 63% after smoking 2 joints.

The Law

• In MA, “Possession of one ounce or less of marijuana is a civil offense, subject to a $100 fine like a traffic ticket… Possession of more than one ounce of marijuana is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.”

http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?wtm_view=&Group_ID=4543

*If under 18, must attend drug awareness program, or pay $1,000 fine

Possession Incarceration Fine

≤ 1 oz. * Civil offense / none $100

> 1 oz. Misdemeanor / 6 mths $500

http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?wtm_view=&Group_ID=4543

Medicinal Marijuana

• Drugs like Marinol® are legal in Massachusetts for medical purposes for people suffering from side effects of glaucoma, asthma, or chemotherapy

• For this reason, many think marijuana should be legalized

• Now legal (for medicinal purposes) in 14 states, although it is illegal under federal law

• In MA, Proposition 2 was passed in November 2008 to legalize marijuana for medicinal uses

Controversy

• Pro Legalization: Medical, agricultural, industrial uses of hemp plant override recreational aspects

• Anti Legalization: Marijuana is addictive and has damaging effects, and can cause long-term health problems (heart & lung disease, throat cancer, etc.)

http://www.duke.edu/~sgr5/p2.htm

Stances on Marijuana

• “I think hard drugs are disgusting. But I must say, I think marijuana is pretty lightweight.” -Linda McCartney

• “I now have absolute proof that smoking even one marijuana cigarette is equal in brain damage to being on Bikini Island during an H-bomb blast.” -Ronald Reagan

Stances on Marijuana, cnt’d

• “I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?” -Willie Nelson

cannabinoids rebecca r

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