Tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC, is the most well known cannabinoid of the 70 or so different identified cannabinoids. For recreational users this is why they toke – to feel high from THC. Medical marijuana patients use cannabis for an entirely different reason – to get relief from whatever ails them. Cannabis is so much more than a psychoactive plant. It is a medicinal plant with a treasure trove of pharmacologically active components that provide relief for a wide variety of ailments and is now showing long term benefits as a preventative for certain diseases. While THC is known as a strong analgesic with 20 times the power of aspirin, it is also a strong antioxidant, bronchodialator and muscle relaxant. But, there is SO much more to cannabis than THC.
Other cannabinoids are known to stunt the psychoactivity of THC and enhance its therapuetic effectiveness. Cannabidiol (CBD), the second most prominent cannabinoid is also a strong anti-oxidant, an anti-convulsant, cytotoxic to breast cancer cells and effective against MRSA. While all seventy something cannabinoids have not been well studied yet, we do know that they generally work together alongside the essential oils (terpenoids) and flavanoids. Meaning they are stronger as a group than they are separated as a single medicine. Dr. Ethan Russo, outlines the evidence of this in his paper Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid and terpenoids entourage effects, published in the British Journal of Pharmacology. While there is so much more to know about how cannabinoids, terpenoids and flavonoids work together, it is fascinating to explore how plants could be bred to produce therapeutically desirable pharmacolologically active ingredients for specific ailments.
Take a look at Dr. Russo’s article here.
Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects
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