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First, a disclaimer. This blog post does not endorse the use of marijuana as it is illegal; however I recently read several studies of interest on this topic.
THC, tretrahydrocannabinol, is the major active ingredient in the marijuana and well known for inducing euphoria and relaxation, as well as sedation and drowsiness. It has been used for treating nerve pain, or neuropathic pain, cancer pain and even convulsions seen with multiple sclerosis.
AJA, Ajulemic acid, is the synthetic equivalent to THC, and is a strong pain reliever an anti-inflammatory but does not have the mind altering effects the THC has. In lab studies, it mimics many of the same properties as the popular anti-inflammatories known as NSAIDs, such a motrin or naproxen. In studies on neuropathic pain and volunteers, AJA did not cause dependency after withdrawal at the end of a one-week treatment period.
So, how would AJA potentially treat overactive bladder? A recent study on rats showed that AJA was able to suppress normal bladder activity and urinary frequency induced by bladder irritants. The researchers believe that AJA blocks the outgoing pain signal from the bladder by one of the receptors it and THC can bind to in the bladder. In the experiment, two different bladder irritants were administered to rats. Bladder pressure and contractions were measured. After injection of AJA, the bladder muscle contraction intervals and bladder pressures were blocked reversing the effect of the irritants.
So what does this mean? AJA is a promising compound that can have potentially broad application in treating the pain and overactivity symptoms that occur in many bladder conditions such as overactive bladder, interstitial cystitis, and perhaps even the bladder pain after surgery or urinary tract infections. One wonders if it many also be effective in not only treating the pain or symptoms after they occur but also given before to prevent them as well. Hmm….
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Add a Comment25 Comments
Hello! I agree with your comment about 99%, however, smoking marijuana (even heavily) does not increase risk of lung cancer, or harm the lungs in any significant or permanent ways. In fact, THC tends to kill off aging cells and prevents them from becoming cancerous. Also, there are benefits to smoking rather than eating cannabis, mainly you feel the effects faster and the high also wears off quicker (and you can come down on your own as well). However, when you eat it, the effects come slower and are stronger, which isn't great for newer users, and the risk of overdose is greater (a cannabis overdose is not lethal, you into a deep sleep and wake up very hungry).
This being said, inhaling burning plant material is never good for your lung, but there are safer ways to do it rather than the iconic joint. While THC is not water soluble, the stuff that is bad for you lungs is, making bongs (waterpipes), bubblers, and hookahs safer. The safest way to smoke of all is through a vaporizer, however I'm not quite sure how they work.
However, it mainly depends on the person (:
Some citations:
February 15, 2010 - 4:24pmhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729.html
"Super High Me" which a great documentary on the effects of suddenly stopping cannabis use and then excessively using it.
"The Union: The Business Behind Getting High" which is, in my opinion, the best and the most informative of documentaries.
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However, weed smoke is really bad for your throat-- can give you throat cancer.
July 1, 2010 - 8:26amThis Comment
Hi Anon - You have a great deal of knowledge about marijuana - thanks so much for taking the time to write in and share with us. The beauty of this site is that we encourage and get a wide variety of opinions on different topics and help increase our mutual awareness.
December 4, 2009 - 6:03pmI happened to see a copy of the "Reefer Madness" movie a few years ago. It was hard to believe that people actually thought the messages in the film were legitimate. In some ways there are many people still clinging to those messages and using them to develop public policy.
Thanks again for contributing to the conversation, and our knowledge.
Pat
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I'm just glad to help!
December 4, 2009 - 6:11pmThis Comment
Dr. Karlovsky - Thanks for providing this information, and making us aware of the studies to determine whether marijuana could prove useful in the treatment of overactive bladder. There seem to be many ancient plant remedies that our ancestors used which have been abandoned by the modern world; perhaps this is one of them. I hope you'll keep us posted as additional information becomes available.
November 11, 2009 - 5:52pmTake good care,
Pat
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