New Hope for Colorectal Cancer. CBD.
A study has found new information about a new treatment strategy in colorectal cancer using CBD, a compound found in cannabis.
Cannabidiol was discovered to act on cancer cells by impacting the type of cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2). This receptor is not influenced by typical gene mutation that tends to make most standard treatments ineffective. It may provide a means to support individuals who are already undergoing regular treatment without success.
The study elucidates that cannabidiol affects CB2 and triggers a sequence of reactions in cancer cells that lead to their destruction.
What is especially promising in this instance is that it does not require conventional genetic mutation that usually accompanies resistance and therefore cannabidiol can be effective in a more patient populations than originally expected.
The fact that it can be easily administered over a naturally occurring substance rather than cumbersome chemotherapy regimens is another merit of this technique.
More studies will have to be carried out to explain the mechanism and to take findings to practice, but the study paves the way to subsequent trials that can eventually offer a novel therapeutic modality.
If proven effective and safe in humans, such a strategy would lead to a less toxic and more selective cancer therapy. For those who have cancer and their families, such findings hold promise that natural compounds will someday provide a more personal and risk-free alternative to combating cancer.
Source: ACS.org
Cannabidiol Microneedles Soothe Psoriasis
Scientists have developed a novel treatment for psoriasis by using CBD-loaded miniature hydrogel microneedle patches.
This novel therapy is designed to reduce long-term inflammation and pain felt by a large majority of psoriasis sufferers.
The research demonstrates that such patches work by blocking a specific pathway that is known to drive inflammatory responses in the skin.
When used, they painlessly place cannabidiol in affected areas to reduce inflammation and create healthier skin without causing systemic side effects that can be caused by oral medications.
The convenience of this patch application can revolutionize patient daily living with a localized and potent remedy to calm flare-ups and general skin health.
Scientists say that application with microneedles minimizes risk of irritation and infection that is present with traditional injection shots, and slow release of cannabidiol permits prolonged alleviation.
Not only does it enhance patients’ quality of life but it’s also proof that fusing natural products with modern delivery systems can be very effective.
As suggested by the research, it will also be possible to treat other inflammatory conditions in the future using such treatments, and would constitute a revolution in long-term skin disease treatment.
As always, more clinical trials will have to be performed to demonstrate long-term safety and efficacy, but preliminary findings are promising and could mark a new dawn of non-invasive, patient-friendly psoriasis treatment.
Source: Science Direct
Natural Remedies and Chronic Pain. Veterans use Weed.
A detailed study that investigated long-term pain management through the use of natural products found some fascinating insights into patient attitudes, behavior, and anxieties.
The study surveyed a diverse group of persons living with continuous pain and found that many of those surveyed are turning to natural products as complementary or alternative approaches to medication.
The study also highlights that veterans chooses to take natural products like cannabis due to fears regarding prescription painkillers and their side effect or dependency issues.
Additionally, a very high rate of respondents reported that they do not always notify their health care professionals of their utilization of such remedies, something that poses concern due to the risk of interactions with conventional treatment.
The findings point to that very real fact that while people do believe in using natural products being effective, still they have to open up more to their doctors.
Such inconsistencies can actually hinder safe integration of adjunct therapies into a patient’s overall pain management strategy.
Furthermore, it emphasizes that additional research must be conducted to verify the efficacy of such natural products and identify through what mode they produce their effect in relieving long-term pain.
For their part, studies provide reassurance to patients that their own concern with alternative modes of medicine is anything but unique and that medicine is gradually being forced to accept that such methods can be helpful.
Over time, more effective communication and continued research can lead to more customized pain management regimens that integrate alternative with conventional modalities to offer the patient more options to manage long-term conditions.
Source: NCBI
A Fresh Breath for Gingivitis: New Mouthwash Blends Nature’s Best
A recent medical trial evaluated a new mouthwash with spilanthol and cannabidiol to see if it could improve oral health in gingivitis sufferers.
Gingivitis is a common gum inflammation that can lead to more severe oral issues if it is not treated. The study investigated why a combination of natural substances was found to combat bacteria buildup and inflammation of the condition.
Patients who mouthwashed once a day had considerable amelioration in their gum health.
The study suggests that spilanthol with both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory action co-operates with cannabidiol well documented to have soothing effect on irritated tissue.
Side by side, they create a synergistic effect that not only calms redness in gums but also prevents plaque formation.
This new procedure can offer a more mild alternative to more chemically based approaches that can make oral treatment more tolerable to more people.
The trial outcomes suggest that this mouthwash would be especially useful to those that have been struggling to accept normal treatment or who want to take a more natural alternative to healthy teeth and mouths.
Since research continues to be conducted, such initial findings offer promise that normal oral care can be revolutionized with products derived naturally.
For those who have it, an effective and natural mouthwash is a welcome advancement that may bring with it enhanced oral health routines and healthier smiles.
Source: MDPI
Cannabis Terpenes: Nature’s Relief for Pain Sufferers
Current research has found that several of Cannabis sativa’s terpenes have a natural pain killing effect.
Researchers in research studies using mice as research subjects discovered that such selected terpenes have very good antinociceptive properties, i.e., they can reduce pain perception.
The research concentrated on two kinds of pain: fibromyalgia, a long-lasting condition that is defined by pervasive pain and weakness, and post-surgical pain.
The scientists discovered that terpenes work through modulation of the body’s adenosine pathways that play a key role in pain modulation.
By triggering such pathways, terpenes help to relieve pain and provide a promising alternative to traditional pain medications that never appear to have a list of side effects.
This outcome is particularly pertinent to today’s opioid epidemic because it illustrates how using naturally occurring substances can help in managing pain without subjecting users to opioid risk.
Natural origin and complexity of compounds in such terpenes can translate into novel pain management treatments that will not only be effective but also safer for long-term use.
Although this study was performed on animals, promising results open doors to trials with humans in due time.
If such benefits can be proven with more research, those who have conditions like fibromyalgia or other long-term illnesses can at last be cured by more effectively working medications with minimal to no side effects.
This research is a welcome move in man’s ongoing pursuit of more natural and environmentally friendly ways to relieve pain.
Source: PubMed
