One study has found that medical marijuana could potentially be used as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
According to a study published in npj Aging and Mechanisms of Disease, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, assists in the removal of toxic plaque in the brain, which is a common symptom of the disease.
“Cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol [THC] stimulate the removal of intraneuronal Aβ [beta amyloid], block the inflammatory response, and are protective,” researchers reported. By blocking inflammation, THC helps to prevent damages to the neurons in the brain.
Although these results have sparked further curiosities in the industry, many professionals say that the theory isn’t ready to be tested on patients.
An article in CNN says that “[w]hile easing the complaints of patients is helpful, scientists hope for something much more out of marijuana and all other avenues of research—namely, a preventative treatment or even a cure for Alzheimer’s.”
At present, no effective therapies for stopping Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative conditions have been found.
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Filed Under: Drug Discovery
