C&P#52: Happy birthday C&P! + introducing the Cannabinoid People board…
Hello everyone,
Welcome to the 52nd edition of Cannabinoids & the People, a weekly newsletter where I collect all the new cannabinoid science. You can check out last week’s issue here & if you haven’t subscribed yet, please do.
As always, here’s the Living Glossary of Cannabinoid Terms & at the bottom is the album of the week.
It’s the first birthday of this newsletter!
I feel like I have a 5-year-old big kid named Sofia, an (almost) 2-year-old toddler named Lucie & a one-year-old named C&P who’s just learning to walk.
For every creative project I’ve done like this, it takes about a year to find your feet – and then you can spread your wings. So I’m going to start experimenting with some features here like Lex’s History Corner, a new video section on Best Cannabis Books & the series launching today ‘The Books I Should Be Writing…’. But most of all, now that we’re at 2,000+ subscribers, I want to use this newsletter – and all of my platforms – as a place of connection.
In that spirit, I’m going to steal an idea from the excellent Broccoli Report & do a ‘People of the Cannabinoids Connections Board’. So if you want to connect with someone else in the cannabinoid space, reply to this email with a short description of the kind of connection you’re looking to make. This is open to artists, scientists, job seekers, educators, Fellow Travelers, whalers, writers – any people connected to this plant or drugs in general looking for a unique connection for your project or passion.
I’ll send an email with everyone’s post out in the next week or two.
For instance, my pitch will be:
I'm a biochemist/writer with a graphic novel series on the human history with cannabis, the War on Drugs & the science of the endocannabinoid system based on Moby Dick (anandamide is our White Whale). I've already finished three of them (see the PDFs at lexpelger.com) & have the next 6 chapters written. I'm looking for an artist specializing in collage - because as you can see, most of the visuals are drawn from the history of illustration. I don't have any money upfront but can offer proceeds from sales. If interested, email lex@whitewhalecreations.com.
Also open to video producers or podcast producers who might want to make it a video series.
Speaking of, to celebrate the newsletter’s birthday, I’m going to give away 3 of my Queer books. To enter the raffle, just forward this newsletter to someone who might like it & cc me or let me know. The 3 winners will be chosen at random.
This week…
- Cannabinoids for pain (always always always, it’s cannabinoids for pain)
- 3 unique uses for anandamide: your cavities, your reaction to scary yelling, your dairy cow’s preference for sweets
- CBD for daytime drowsiness & testosterone levels
- A lot of research on monkey sperm. Like, a lot
- Endocannabinoids & liver stem cells
- CBD & CBDA for your pets
- Again, acupuncture working via the endocannabinoid system
- ‘How LSD, ketamine & nitrous oxide change connectivity in the human cortex’ #signmeup
A request to spread the word
This newsletter only spreads by word of mouth – so please forward to colleagues & tell your friends & relatives.
Paid subscriptions here. There’s no extra content with a paid subscription, but as I’m always balancing contract work, kid time & creating free content for the community, your support allows me to produce more educational content for you.
Book me for a 1-on-1 cannabis/CBD/psychedelics counseling session:
Join the many other people who booked a session with me to get clear, simple guidance for using cannabis, CBD & psychedelics for a healthier & happier life.
Read my free How-To Guides, watch my One-Minute Cannabinoid Science videos & book a session with me here.
My work this week:
In my EU report for Weed Talk News:
Germany’s ‘legalization light’ + Czech’s drug strategy plan + homegrow argument in Luxembourg
My one-minute Cannabinoid Science:
CBD researchers looking for negatives & finding positives
On Notes:
oral histories + Robert Johnson’s hellhounds + Brits bombing Yemen
(ever since that dickhead started ruining Twitter, I haven’t known where to post the longform journalism that I read, so I’m feeling hopeful about the new Substack Notes. Come check it out)
On TikTok:
sex books + Female writers on drugs & the Spirit + I read Moby Dick to you + the 7 Hermetic Laws + my father’s sex book ‘Great Sex, Christian Style’
(I link to YouTube for accessibility, but find me on TT @lexpelgerandhisbooks)
My platforms: Linktree
YouTube for educational videos, lectures & shorts on new cannabinoid science
My podcasts
Anandamide; or, the People: my graphic novel series on cannabis, the endocannabinoid system & the War on Drugs based on Moby-Dick
LinkedIn, Twitter & my TikTok on books, hermeticism, science & history
Ways to support this work:
Buy Me a Coffee Venmo: @Lex-Pelger
Zelle: pelger@gmail.com
PayPal: donate here
Sponsor: PlusCBD’s unparalleled product selection
I spent 3 years working full-time for PlusCBD before I launched my consulting business so I know from the inside about their commitment to making quality CBD products. But that’s not the most special thing about them. What they do better than any other company in the industry is create a wide range of products.
Nobody else has this much…
- Oils, capsules & gummies of course
- Topicals that come as balms, creams, roll-ons & special formulations for arthritis or athletes that contain menthol & camphor
- The Reserve Collection! Oils, capsules & gummies containing from 2.5 mg to 5 mg of THC per serving (I’m constantly being asked how people in non-medical can get THC-rich products & this is always what I recommend to them. Especially because it’s an easy-to-use standard serving size that’s just the right amount for people new to THC)
- Excellent pet products in a range of flavors
- 3 very special formulations with other ingredients:
- Sleep gummies: Includes 3 mg of melatonin + extract of lemon balm & magnolia bark (two old plants for inducing sleep)
- Calm gummies: Includes 5-HTP (the serotonin precursor) & L-theanine (from tea)
- Relief capsules [I can’t find a link to just this item – only the wellness blend bundle]: Includes PEA + CBDA (see the Living Glossary below for why I think these are the ingredients of the future for immune health & gut health)
That’s why I recommend PlusCBD to so many of the clients I consult with: they offer an array of products like no other.
Buy their excellent products today at PlusCBDoil.com
Best Of Cannabinoid Science...
Clinical
Here's a nice guide on how healthcare facilities can create guidelines for regulating cannabis use
https://vngoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Legislating-Cannabis-Use-in-Healthcare-Facilities-reduced.pdf
In a study of 1000+ people, a month of CBD was associated with decreased daytime drowsiness & in older men, a lower prevalence of low testosterone levels
The Effects of Long-Term Self-Dosing of Cannabidiol on Drowsiness, Testosterone Levels, and Liver Function
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36968131/
Judging by all the double negatives, I suspect that these researchers were looking for harm & stumbled upon help…
In a clinical trial of people with Tourette syndrome or chronic tic disorders, nabiximols (1:1 THC:CBD sprays) did not help everyone, but seemed to work best in males with more severe tics as well as with comorbid ADHD
CANNA-TICS: Efficacy and safety of oral treatment with nabiximols in adults with chronic tic disorders - Results of a prospective, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, phase IIIb superiority study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36878177/
A sad survey on the difficult situation of people who might have cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome
"I still partly think this is bullshit": A qualitative analysis of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome perceptions among people with chronic cannabis use and cyclic vomiting
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36996524/
How digitally buying drugs normalizes them & neutralizes their countercultural potential
Cleansing Frames: How Digital ‘Consumer Reports’ of Cannabis and Psychedelics Normalise Drug-Taking and Neutralise its Counter-Cultural Potential
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00380385231160470
Reviews
A big clinical guide on cannabinoids & chronic pain management reviews 70 studies
Clinical Practice Guidelines for Cannabis and Cannabinoid-Based Medicines in the Management of Chronic Pain and Co-Occurring Conditions
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36971587/
And a new survey to confirm the positive effects
Cannabinoid Therapy: Attitudes and Experiences of People With Chronic Pain
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36971412/
A review of studies on treating stimulant use disorder by targeting the endocannabinoid system
Endocannabinoid system as a therapeutic target for psychostimulants relapse: A systematic review of preclinical studies
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36965745/
Of course, there is only one clip to go with this study… (hattip to Stuart Tomc)
A review of treating many neurodegenerative diseases via the inhibition of 2-AG breakdown
Inhibiting degradation of 2-arachidonoylglycerol as a therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36966972/
“Several lines of evidence indicate that pharmacological or genetic inactivation of MAGL, which boosts 2-AG levels and reduces its hydrolytic metabolites, resolves neuroinflammation, mitigates neuropathology, and improves synaptic and cognitive functions in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease (PD), and traumatic brain injury (TBI)-induced neurodegenerative disease.”
In our Neural Ocean metaphor, this is maiming the octopus (MGL) that attacks blue whales (2-AG) to protect the health of the entire ocean (brain).
A review of treating eye diseases with cannabinoids
Cannabinoid-Based Ocular Therapies and Formulations
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/15/4/1077
The science is all there to suggest that this works, but it is a difficult problem in terms of drug delivery.
A review of using CBD & CBDA in veterinary medicine
The clinical use of cannabidiol and cannabidiolic acid-rich hemp in veterinary medicine and lessons from human medicine
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36965472/
“This review will primarily focus on current scientific research on the efficacy of CBD on seizure, anxiety, osteoarthritis, and atopic dermatitis, following a brief discussion of endo- and exogenous cannabinoids, ECS, their molecular mechanism, and potential side effects in veterinary medicine.”
A review of nano delivery systems for CBD
Cannabidiol-Loaded Nanocarriers and Their Therapeutic Applications
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/16/4/487
And a new one for specifically treating COVID-19
Tocilizumab-coated solid lipid nanoparticles loaded with cannabidiol as a novel drug delivery strategy for treating COVID-19: A review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37033914/
Preclinical
A study of CBD's anti diabetic & antioxidant effects
Computational insights into the antioxidant and antidiabetic mechanisms of cannabidiol: An in vitro and in silico study
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878535223003040
In a rat model of kidney disease, CBD lowered inflammatory signals
Cannabidiol interacts with the FXR/Nrf2 pathway and changes the CB1/CB2 receptors ratio in gentamicin-induced kidney injury in rats
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36865046/
In a rat model of an inflamed prostate, CBC, CBG & CBD all improved cellular inflammation while CBD also reduced pelvic pain
CANNABINOIDS REDUCE CHRONIC PROSTATITIS AND CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN SYNDROME BY MODULATING TLR-4/NF-KB SIGNALING PATHWAY
https://www.auajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1097/JU.0000000000003235.08
In a model of colitis, electroacupuncture helps repair the intestinal barrier via the gut microbiome & increased levels of the CB1 receptor
Electroacupuncture repairs intestinal barrier by upregulating CB1 through gut microbiota in DSS-induced acute colitis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36894930/
This study joins a long line of research demonstrating that the beneficial effects of acupuncture are mediated at least partially by the endocannabinoid study.
In both obese & lean mice, the CB1 receptor and the skeletal muscle regulates autophagy (the breakdown of old proteins & other cellular material that’s vital to metabolism & the development of normal muscle mass)
The CB1 cannabinoid receptor regulates autophagy in the tibialis anterior skeletal muscle in mice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36964619/
Sodium channels help to control the firing of your brain (very relevant to epilepsy) & this study looked at the effects of several minor cannabinoids on these vital channels
Beyond CBD: Inhibitory effects of lesser studied phytocannabinoids on human voltage-gated sodium channels
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36891145/
“CBD and CBGA inhibited peak current amplitude in the low micromolar range in a concentration-dependent manner, while CBG, CBCA and CBC revealed only modest inhibition for this subset of sodium channels. CBDVA inhibited NaV1.6 peak currents in the low micromolar range in a concentration-dependent fashion, while only exhibiting modest inhibitory effects on NaV1.1, NaV1.2, and NaV1.7 channels. CBD and CBGA non-selectively inhibited all channel subtypes examined, whereas CBDVA was selective for NaV1.6.”
An evergreen note on reading restricted papers:
First stop for seeing if there’s a free version of a paper, use the Google Scholar Chrome extension (Mac version), Google Scholar itself or try ResearchGate.
Three other helpful browser extensions are: Unpaywall, Open Access Button & PaperPanda
For the infamous backdoor, use Sci-Hub – the pirated papers repository (Chrome extension here). This works better for older paper than the stuff that just came out.
For Twitter users, send a Tweet of the paper’s title with the hashtag #icanhazpdf. It works because people are beautiful(ish).
Finally, email the author. They’re almost always happy to oblige because, thanks to the predatory academic publishing system, they don’t make a dollar off of their papers.
the Headlines & Fav Articles
Strong story on the terrible outcomes that can happen when you ignore the environmental & social justice side of big indoor cannabis grows
https://slate.com/technology/2023/04/indoor-cannabis-cultivation-environmental-risks-oakland.html
“The Green Zone fiasco illustrates how the decriminalization of cannabis in the name of social equity can melt into an environmental justice nightmare if not properly managed.”
Chicago Cubs first MLB team to partner with a CBD company
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/chicago-cubs-become-first-mlb-team-to-officially-partner-with-cbd-company
No word on if Henry Rowengartner will appear in any of their commercials.
(Speaking of, I don’t normally get a chance to watch movies & I don’t care much about baseball, but I just watched ‘Moneyball’ & was enthralled)
TSA says they’re not actively looking for cannabis – but if they find it, they will call the cops regardless of state law or whether its medical
https://www.travelpulse.com/News/Impacting-Travel/TSA-Warns-Travelers-With-Marijuana-at-American-Airports-Ahead-of-4/20
Another federal judge rules the gun ban for cannabis consumers unconstitutional
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/firearms-ban-for-cannabis-users-ruled-unconstitutional-by-another-federal-court
Survey finds that 40% of cannabis consumers plan to take off 4/20
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/survey-40-of-employed-cannabis-consumers-plan-to-take-day-off-for-4-20
International
Germany’s new scaled-back legalization plan released: no commercial markets, a 25 gram possession limit & 3 plant homegrows & for distribution, 500-member nonprofit cannabis clubs
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/german-officials-unveil-revised-plan-to-legalize-marijuana
Burn After Reading has a good breakdown…
https://ericcasey.substack.com/p/issue-41-germany-sinks-the-big-cannabis
Overall, this actually sounds pretty great. It looks like they’re trying to lock out a big ugly commercialized scene & instead allow a Spanish social club model to develop.
A German court upholds a conviction against a doctor for excessive cannabis prescriptions
https://www.rnd.de/panorama/muenchen-cannabis-arzt-muss-dreieinhalb-jahre-in-haft-BXSAYGI6DZNA3D3EAGFB5ZXXZU.html
Argentina harvests its first hemp crop in 50 years
https://diariohoy.net/politica/el-pais-concreto-su-primera-cosecha-de-canamo-industrial-225882
Recommended for You
And moves towards filing cannabis regulations
https://www.infobae.com/politica/2023/04/09/el-gobierno-reglamentara-la-industria-del-cannabis-que-requisitos-pedira-para-poder-producir-legalmente
The President of Mexico claims that under his predecessor Vicente Fox, regulators inappropriately issued 63 cannabis permits to members of the Fox family
https://www.infobae.com/mexico/2023/04/11/gobierno-ira-contra-empresas-de-la-familia-fox-por-permisos-para-comercializar-derivados-de-la-cannabis
And Fox responded by calling this a lie…
https://twitter.com/VicenteFoxQue/status/1645806679949479936
But to paraphrase the King of Politics Lyndon Baines Johnson, I don’t want to prove that he’s a pigfucker. I just want to see the sonuvabitch deny it.
The War on Drugs & Prohibition
This analysis of driving & legalization suggests an increase of 1400 traffic fatalities annually once the US legalizes
Revisiting the effect of recreational marijuana on traffic fatalities
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36965303/
Business & Law
A review of 13 studies on cannabis stakeholders & what's most important to them in medical cannabis
Stakeholders' Decisions and Preferences for the Provision and Use of Medicinal Cannabis: A Scoping Review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36888538/
417,493 full-time jobs are supported by the cannabis industry according to a new Vangst report, a 2% drop from last year
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/legal-cannabis-industry-shows-job-drop-for-first-time-ever-annual-report-finds-301793193.html
New Jersey declines to renew Curaleaf’s adult-use cannabis license because of their layoffs, union clashes & lack of transparency
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/new-jersey-regulators-deny-curaleaf-cannabis-license-renewal
In Florida, the deal by Circle K gas stations to sell medical cannabis from Green Thumb Industries is on hold amid litigation
https://mjbizdaily.com/green-thumb-deal-to-sell-medical-marijuana-at-florida-gas-stations-on-hold-amid-litigation
Psychedelics, Plant Medicines & Other Psychoactives
An Anglican pastor on LSD & counseling
https://psychedelicpress.substack.com/p/acid-anglicans
‘30 Under 30 Women In Psychedelics’
https://psychedelicspotlight.com/30-under-30-women-in-psychedelics
2 studies on psychedelics & creativity
https://psychedelicspotlight.com/exploring-the-effects-of-psychedelics-on-creativity-and-cognition-insights-from-two-studies
3 researchers look at the psychedelic-induced mystical experience
Psychedelic-induced mystical experiences: An interdisciplinary discussion and critique
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1077311/full
The Psychoactive Research
[This isn’t a deep dive into all of the science of psychedelics & other psychoactives like I do for the cannabinoids. If a newsletter with all that new science would be of interest to your company or organization, reach out to me]
A review of eight studies on combining psilocybin with psychotherapy for treating depression
Psychotherapy with Psilocybin for Depression: Systematic Review
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/4/297
How LSD, ketamine & nitrous oxide change connectivity in the human cortex
Classical and non-classical psychedelic drugs induce common network changes in human cortex
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37031827/
Can you imagine taking nitrous in an fMRI machine?
Anyway, this certainly sounds like an experiment that would come out of Ann Arbor…
In a mouse model of PTSD, psilocybin helped to extinguish fear reactions by increasing neuroplasticity in the hippocampus (memory center of the brain)
Psilocybin facilitates fear extinction in mice by promoting hippocampal neuroplasticity
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37000971/
The Plant & the History
Growing & Farming
On how the developmental time of your hemp harvest affects the yield
The phenological stage of hemp inflorescences affects essential oil yield and its chemical composition
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0926669023003692
In Florida, the effects of different planting dates on hemp’s yield
Cannabidiol industrial hemp growth, biomass, and temporal cannabinoids accumulation under different planting dates in southern Florida
https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/agg2.20347
How hemp responds to water stress
Variation in Hydric Response of Two Industrial Hemp Varieties (Cannabis sativa) to Induced Water Stress
https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/9/4/431
On the beneficial microorganisms found around the roots of cannabis plants
Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in khardala and critical, cannabis varieties in Morocco
http://www.ecoeet.com/Arbuscular-mycorrhizal-symbiosis-in-khardala-and-critical-cannabis-varieties-in-Morocco,162701,0,2.html
CANNABINOID SCIENCE
An Indian review on the history of the discovery of the cannabinoids
MEDICAL CANNABIS SATIVA (MARIJUANA OR DRUG TYPE): THE STORY OF DISCOVERY OF Δ9-TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL (THC)
http://journalijisr.com/sites/default/files/issues-pdf/IJISRR-1167.pdf
A history & lessons from the last 20 years of medical cannabis use in Canada
Lessons from 20 years of medical cannabis use in Canada
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36952564/
A negative French take on the CBD
Cannabidiol (CBD): Analytical and toxicological aspects
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36868996/
Who would have guessed?
From the people who brought us ‘Non, ce n’est pas possible’…
Clinical Studies & Surveys
A look at how CBD & CBDA move through the body & get broken down in humans & domestic animals
A One Health perspective on comparative cannabidiol and cannabidiolic acid pharmacokinetics and biotransformation in humans and domestic animals
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36972696/
In a study that exemplifies the wide range of sleep reactions to cannabis, those who vape cannabis as well as tobacco experience both longer & shorter sleep durations than those who don't
Association of dual electronic cigarettes and marijuana use with sleep duration among adults from the United States, NHANES 2015–2018
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335523000815
Mental Health, Sleep & Addiction
A complicated look at the interplay between cannabis use & early childhood trauma on the risk of earlier psychosis onset
Characterization of childhood trauma, hippocampal mediation and Cannabis use in a large dataset of psychosis and non-psychosis individuals
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36989667/
In Trinidad, a review of public health data found an association between cannabis use & the occurrence & age of onset of psychosis
Cannabis use and psychotic disorders in diverse settings in the Global South: findings from INTREPID II
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36951137/
The level of endocannabinoids in your hair may predict your reaction to unpredictable threats
Fear conditioning depends on the nature of the unconditional stimulus and may be related to hair levels of endocannabinoids
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36959707/
In early lactating cows, giving them anandamide increased their preference for sweet tasting food as well as reduced the endocannabinoid & opioid receptors in their amygdala (the fear center of the brain)
Endocannabinoid administration affects taste preference and the expression of cannabinoid and opioid receptors in the amygdala of early lactating cows
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36973308/
The Brain & its Diseases
In a roundworm model of Parkinson's disease, CBD rescued damage to the dopamine producing neurons
Cannabidiol Recovers Dopaminergic Neuronal Damage Induced by Reserpine or α-synuclein in Caenorhabditis elegans
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36964823/
Saudi doctors have a poor knowledge of CBD for pediatric epilepsy
Knowledge and Attitude of Saudi Physicians Toward Cannabidiol for Pediatric Epilepsy: A Cross-Sectional Study
https://assets.cureus.com/uploads/original_article/pdf/140464/20230324-347-15yc9zz.pdf
Harms, Cannabis Use Disorder & Street Synthetics
A literature review & a case report of delta-8 THC causing psychosis
Delta-8-THC association with psychosis: A case report with literature review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36890985/
A review of interventions for people using cannabis & how people do not follow the recommended treatments at similar rates to other substances
Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) for cannabis: A scoping review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36880902/
In cannabis users with pneumomediastinum (air escaping into their chest cavity), they have less serious cases than those who have the same disease for other reasons & the cannabis users may not require esophageal imaging
Dedicated esophageal imaging may be unnecessary in marijuana-associated spontaneous pneumomediastinum: Findings from a retrospective cohort study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36874471/
Hormones, Reproduction & Maternal Effects
In a rat model of maternal obesity, CBD improved their metabolic profile & decreased inflammation in the hypothalamus (a regulator of homeostasis, appetite & hormonal release)
Cannabidiol treatment improves metabolic profile and decreases hypothalamic inflammation caused by maternal obesity
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36969815/
An analysis of seminal fluid from monkeys exposed to THC suggests contributions to male infertility
PROTEOMIC ANALYSIS OF SEMINAL FLUID IN RHESUS MACAQUES EXPOSED TO DELTA-9-TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL
https://www.auajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1097/JU.0000000000003212.02
As well as the turning on & off of genes in the sperm related to nervous system development & function
DELTA-9-TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL USE ALTERS SPERM DNA METHYLATION IN RHESUS MACAQUES
https://www.auajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1097/JU.0000000000003212.06
But thankfully, discontinuing the chronic usage of THC partially restored the adverse impacts on male reproductive health
Cessation of chronic delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol use partially reverses impacts on male fertility and the sperm epigenome in rhesus macaques
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36990913/
These researchers certainly spun out this work into a great number of publications, but with the expense of working with primates, I get it.
Anyway, as we often say around here, if you wanna get pregnant, both of you should lay off the weed.
In male reproductive cells, zinc may protect against the toxic effects of THC
In vitro Pretreatment with Zinc Alleviates the Adverse Effect of Tetrahydrocannabinol on Cultured Mouse Sertoli Cells: Role of Anti-apoptotic and Antioxidant Activities
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36959135/
In the human placenta, this study looked at the importance of 2-AG in regulating the lipid network
Inhibition of diacylglycerol lipase β modulates lipid and endocannabinoid levels in the ex vivo human placenta
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36864832/
The Guts
In a mouse model of obesity, the hormone orexin (a regulator of energy homeostasis) increased levels of 2-AGP (a sister lipid to 2-AG) which increased food intake via the hypothalamus (a feeding center of the brain)
Orexin induces the production of an endocannabinoid-derived lysophosphatidic acid eliciting hypothalamic synaptic loss in obesity
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36977433/
In a rat model of type 1 diabetes, activating the CB2 receptor improved brain blood flow function
A Cannabinoid Type 2 (CB2) Receptor Agonist Augments NOS-Dependent Responses of Cerebral Arterioles During Type 1 Diabetes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36889269/
The antibiotic effects of anandamide against the bacteria that cause cavities
Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Biofilm Activities of Anandamide against the Cariogenic Streptococcus mutans
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/7/6177
Cancer
Research on killing cervical cancer cells with a combination of photodynamic therapy, a photosensitizer & CBD
Cytotoxic Effects of Combinative ZnPcS4 Photosensitizer Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) and Cannabidiol (CBD) on a Cervical Cancer Cell Line
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37047123/
Pain, Inflammation & Surgeries
In people using both opioids & cannabis, they had more anxiety, depression & opioid related problems but not more opioid use
Opioid and cannabis co-use: The role of opioid use to cope with negative affect
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36880919/
In a mouse model of neuropathic pain, two drugs that activate the CB2 receptor worked better than the common treatment drug pregabalin
Investigation of the Analgesic Properties L-759,633 and SER 601 in Experimental Neuropathic Pain Model in Rats and their Comparison with Pregabalin
http://csj.cumhuriyet.edu.tr/tr/download/article-file/2204545
The Heart
A case study of an elderly man whose CBD usage potentially interacted with his anti-platelet medication (clopidogrel)
Geriatric Pharmacotherapy Case Series: Potential Drug Interactions With Antiplatelet Medications and Cannabidiol-A Focus on P2Y12 Inhibitors
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36949558/
The Liver
The differentiation of liver stem cells is promoted by the endocannabinoid system (a good thing)
The endocannabinoid system promotes hepatocyte progenitor cell proliferation and maturation by modulating cellular energetics
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36966147/
In a cellular model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, β-caryophyllene (one of the most common terpenes in cannabis) helps intracellular lipid composition via the CB2 & PPAR nuclear receptors (regulators of genetic transcription)
Beta-Caryophyllene Modifies Intracellular Lipid Composition in a Cell Model of Hepatic Steatosis by Acting through CB2 and PPAR Receptors
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37047034/
Using liver cells to breakdown THCA & THCV to see what metabolites they turn into
Comparative metabolism of THCA and THCV using UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36951512/
Genitourinary System
In humans with bladder pain, anandamide levels in the blood may be a useful diagnostic biomarker
SERUM ANANDAMIDE AND LIPIDS ASSOCIATED WITH LINOLEIC ACID CAN DISTINGUISH INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS AND BLADDER PAIN SYNDROME FROM OVERACTIVE BLADDER
https://www.auajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1097/JU.0000000000003229.11
Thanks.
- lex
PS: In honor of Ahmad Jama’s passing, here’s a throwback to C&P#11:
From Ahmad Jamal, one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz for six decades now, comes today’s 1956 album: ‘Count ‘Em 88’. Beginning his piano playing at the age of 3 & his formal training at the age of 7, he launched his professional career at 14. Coverting to Islam in his early 20s, he recorded his first album a year later in 1951 – and then never stopped. Trained in both the American & European style, he became known as one of the great jazz innovators & even coined a new movement called “cool jazz”. He credits his variety to growing up in the big band era, living through the bebop era & aging through the electronic era. And so we’ll finish with perhaps his most famous recording, the Ahmad Jamal Trio live at the Pershing Lounge in 1958.
