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Ferre
Cannabis Sacrament Minister.
Joined: 14 Apr 2003
Posts: 7295
Location: Amsterdam
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 Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 2:42 pm Post subject: Cannabis researchers find tool to fight obesity |
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Cannabis researchers find tool to fight obesity
IAN JOHNSTON
IN DUBLIN
Wed 7 Sep 2005
SCIENTISTS studying cannabis have located a part of the brain that could be key to fighting obesity, stress and bringing pain relief.
The research could also lead to ways to help cannabis users give up and help smokers of normal cigarettes to quit.
Human brains have a receptor which, when stimulated by the body's own cannabis-like chemicals, produces the classic effects of smoking the drug, such as relaxation, short-term memory loss and a craving for sweet food. It is thought the body does this naturally in moments of crisis to reduce post-traumatic stress, helping people to stay calm and "forget" something bad that has happened.
Professor Roger Pertwee, a neuropharmacologist at Aberdeen University, and colleagues yesterday revealed they had found a new way to block the brain's cannabis receptor using a substance found in cannabis itself, called THCV.
Prof Pertwee also discovered the receptor has a "dimmer switch" that can be manipulated using drugs to increase or decrease the effects as required.
He said the blockers could potentially be used as a way to help people stop taking cannabis.
Using the dimmer switch to increase the effects of the receptor could be used to relieve pain and calm someone down.
There is evidence in animals that this can reduce the effects of MS, and many human sufferers of this condition say they are helped by smoking cannabis, which is like turning up the dimmer switch.
Decreasing the effect or blocking it completely would potentially help people suffering from short-term memory problems, former smokers struggling to stay off cigarettes and obese people lose weight.
A French drug company, Sanofi Aventis, has discovered another way of blocking the brain's cannabis receptor and is planning to introduce a drug called Rimonabant, possibly as early as April next year.
It has produced significant results in major trials in reducing weight gain and waist size, leading to a reduction in the risk of catching serious diseases as a result of obesity.
Prof Pertwee added that drugs could be developed for soldiers going into battle to stimulate the receptor and prevent post-traumatic stress from developing, although he admitted it might not be possible to strip out the rest of the cannabis-like effects that might inhibit a soldier's performance.
Dr David Haslam, of the National Obesity Forum, said:
"The trials [of Rimonabant] were impressive. They do show significant weight loss and waist loss.
"Blood sugar is reduced, cholesterol is improved and blood pressure seems to respond quite well," he said.
"It is an exciting addition to our armoury, but there is no such thing as a miracle drug. They make weight reduction better and more successful, but not all that much easier.
"It's not instead of diet and lifestyle changes."
http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=1900542005
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Mystic Power
admin THC-Ministry YahooGroup
Joined: 23 Aug 2004
Posts: 3605
Location: Key West
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| Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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| they had found a new way to block the brain's cannabis receptor... |
Umm....no thanks. 
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Brother Adam
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 04 Feb 2005
Posts: 1915
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| Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 3:26 am Post subject: |
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I'd rather be fat! 
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Echo
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 14 Apr 2003
Posts: 1899
Location: England
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| Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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And we are not that fat...
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Pepper
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 30 Oct 2003
Posts: 528
Location: Earth
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| Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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| If I don't have cannabis for several months, I usually gain weight. It's probably from eating to satisfy the urge. |
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Fyrefly1
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Posts: 2209
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| Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2005 4:50 am Post subject: |
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Hmmmm, maybe I should smoke more.....
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Fyrefly1
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