CRPS – Skeletal Cannabinoid System – Immune System

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What I’m really interested in is the Skeletal Cannabinoid System.

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We know cannabinoid receptors outnumber every receptor type in the human body.

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Cannabindoids are located primarily in immune tissue. 

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Perhaps one reason we have not found more insight into neuropathic pain, complex regional pain syndrome, is because we have not seriously looked at the cannabinoid system. It is the largest receptor system in the body and it is located in immune tissue. Our brain makes endocannabinoids like Anandamide, that relieve pain, that are made by glial tissue, which is immune tissue. And they relieve many other symptoms and life threatening seizures as well. Pain and depression are my key interests.

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Quoting from Nephi Stella:

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“Cannabinoids, the bioactive components produced by the marijuana plant Cannabis Sativa, have immunomodulatory properties that are quite distinct from currently available immunomodulatory drugs.”

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So, back to the Skeletal Endocannabinoid Sytem, please let me know of any references to the Skeletal Endocannabinoid system, especially key articles or a review of that system, or has access to funding and to Professor Mechoulam’s lab, so we could see some research funded in order to learn about this. I welcome comments with publications and references, below.

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Even if we could get more funding for regenerative research in bone, it may lead to discovery of a mechanism involved in the osteoporosis with CRPS or senility.

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Cannabinoids

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First, let me say I am not endorsing use of cannabinoids unless you have a full understanding of contraindications, and yes it can be dangerous if you have those conditions. That’s why I built a cannabis website in 2009. I cannot remember the scientific details I studied, but there were over 17,000 publications when I put that up. I had to build the website to educate myself, and be able to “put it together, to grasp it and learn it and be able to link back. It was a huge data base to reference after doing my analysis. Alas, I had to scrub most of it because it is illegal even to write about certain things or link to a video. It’s sad that doctors get persecuted for prescribing cannabis for desperate conditions. It’s sad it cannot be made legal for the poor and middle class to use responsibly and recreationally.

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Dr. Nephi Stella at University of Washington studies deep cannabinoid brain science:

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He was an invited speaker at an RSDSA sponsored conference in 2010  on glia. They convened what may be the largest number of most distinguished glial scientists in the world working on translational issues, translating science to the clinic as it relates to pain. Glial cells are important for inflammation and pain, depression, almost every known condition. As for glia, one of the endocannabinoids that your brain makes, is made by a glial cell, and reabsorbed by the cell.

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Dr. Stella’s faculty page reads:

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How can the medicinal properties of marijuana be improved to treat neurodegenerative diseases?

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The brain, being isolated from the rest of the body by the blood brain barrier, has its own specialized immune system consisting of the interplay between glial cells and small numbers of patrolling immune cells. This “brain specific immune system” is similar to the peripheral immune system in its ability to both destroy foreign agents and repair injured tissue, though it does so with much less efficacy. Indeed, while the brain’s immune system can probably cope with minor insults and infections, its unable to mount effective responses against more devastating neuropathological processes….

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Remarkably, these neuropathological processes are often associated with dysfunctional glial cells, limiting their ability to repair injured neurons and actually rendering them more hostile against healthy neurons. Thus, a promising therapeutic approach for the aforementioned neurodegenerative diseases is to develop pharmacological agents that target glial cells to reinstate their reparative function while tempering their hostility.
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My laboratory is interested in identifying the molecular machinery controlling changes in glial cell phenotype, with the aim of developing pharmacological tools that will minimize their harmful phenotype and reinstate – or even boost – their reparative function. Our current most promising target is the endocannabinoid signaling system.
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Cannabinoids, the bioactive components produced by the marijuana plant Cannabis Sativa, have immunomodulatory properties that are quite distinct from currently available immunomodulatory drugs. These compounds act through specific receptors named CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are expressed by neurons and mediate the drug of abuse properties of marijuana, while CB2 receptors are expressed by immune and glial cells and mediate its immunomodulatory properties. This dichotomy has tremendous therapeutic potential since it allows for the development of agents that specifically target CB2 receptors and thus regulate immune functions without inducing the drug of abuse adverse effects mediated through CB1 receptors. Cannabinoid receptors are normally activated by endogenous ligands, the endocannabinoids.
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We are currently testing the hypothesis that agents acting through CB2 receptors or blocking the degradation of endocannabinoids can temper the detrimental inflammatory responses occurring in Huntington’s disease, AIDS dementia and multiple sclerosis. We chose to study these pathologies because they remain without cure and thus demand regimented scientific efforts to relieve these patients. We are also using genetic and proteomics approaches to identify novel cannabinoid receptors and enzymes degrading endocannabinoids, with the hope that such proteins constitute promising targets for therapy. Our goal is to identify cannabinoid-based targets and agents devoid of drug of abuse properties that provide treatment of diverse neuropathologies.

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This field has been largely ignored for almost the entire 20th century. Even when it was discovered it is a major player in the immune system and so many systems it is yet to be discovered where and why.

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Nephi, if you are reading this, thank you for working with glia and the cannabinoid system!

Congratulations on your work!

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I know some of you ignore this, but I have to repeat:

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The material on this site is for informational purposes only.
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It is not legal for me to provide medical advice without an examination.

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This material is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided

by a qualified health care provider.

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If you wish an appointment, please telephone the office to schedule.

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For My Home Page, click here:  Welcome to my Weblog on Pain Management!

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