Medical cannabis might prevent/treat Covid-19, cannabis for Parkinson's disease, Health Canada grants research license to Heritage Cannabis; and more
Research regarding cannabis use for treating different conditions and a research license approval for Wednesday, June 16, 2021 (1,370 words, 7 minutes)
Researchers are beginning to look into alternative treatments for the Covid-19 virus, some of them involving medical cannabis.
This edition of CJMC Fortnightly looks at how Health Canada granted a cannabis research license to Canada-based company Heritage. It also explores recent research that suggests medical cannabis could help prevent and treat Covid-19 since high-CBD sativa extracts modulate ACE2 Expression. On a different note, today’s edition covers two novel studies involving medical cannabis: one investigating the use of cannabis for motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease and another study researching CBD and neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
If you're new to our e-newsletter, welcome to our community. We are delighted to have you join us. Every two weeks CJMC Fortnightly provides readers with an update on new findings about medical cannabis. Delivering your cannabis news this week is Cristela Tello Ruiz of the Canadian Journal of Medical Cannabis (CJMC), a publication for physicians produced in Toronto, Canada. Here is this week’s medical cannabis news:
Heritage Cannabis receives cannabis research licence from Health Canada
An article published on the business and finance site Proactive reported that a Canada-based cannabis company was granted a Health Canada research license.
On June 7, 2021, Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp. announced its wholly-owned Voyage Cannabis Corp. subsidiary received a cannabis research license under Health Canada’s Cannabis Act and Cannabis Regulations.
The company said that this license would allow it to research, assess and develop its portfolio of differentiated medical and recreational cannabis products.
Said Heritage Cannabis Holdings CEO Clint Sharples: “At Heritage, we are at the forefront of product innovation and providing recreational and medical cannabis consumers with products they want. Our innovation team now has the competitive advantage it needs to continue to employ best practices in product evaluation and tailor products that complement our already popular line of extracts and extract derivatives.”
The company also claimed that it hopes to use this license to conduct controlled trials of its cannabis extracts, concentrates, oils, vaporizers, topicals, beverages and edibles. Heritage will be operating from its extraction and manufacturing facility in Falkland, B.C., subject to the conditions outlined by Health Canada.
Insights from the world of medical cannabis research
“There are certain conditions where medical cannabis has been evaluated in children; those are the epileptic encephalopathies such as Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and tuberous sclerosis complex. Overall, these studies showed that seizures were reduced in children similarly to established values of other anti-epileptic drugs. In addition, we also saw that medical cannabis was safe and tolerable for children in these studies.”
-- Dr. Evan Lewis, Director of the Neurology Centre of Toronto, speaking at the virtual Real World Medicannabis Symposium in December, 2020
Medical Cannabis to Prevent/Treat Covid-19? High-CBD Sativa Extracts Modulate ACE2 Expression
Covid-19 is caused by the severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This virus relies on the ACE2 enzyme to enter the human body through the oral and nasal mucosa and the gastrointestinal tract. Consequently, targeting the ACE2 may help reduce the odds of contracting Covid-19.
As reported in a study in the journal Aging, researchers developed more than 800 new C. sativa cultivars. Among those, they identified 13 high-CBD variants, which they found down-regulate ACE2 expression in target Covid-19 tissues.
Study framework
The researchers used artificial 3D human models of oral, airway and intestinal tissues for this study.
Findings
The researchers identified 13 high-CBD C. sativa extracts that decrease ACE2 protein levels.
Some C. sativa extracts down-regulated serine protease TMPRSS2, a critical protein required for SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells.
Bottom line
While the most effective extracts require further large-scale validation, this study is important for future analyses of the effects of medical cannabis on Covid-19. Pending further investigation, these novel high CBD extracts may become a useful and safe addition to the prevention and treatment of Covid-19 as an adjunct therapy.
Cannabis for Motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease
A study regarding the use of cannabis and its derivatives for motor symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease was published in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders.
According to the study's authors, the use of CBD for the relief of motor symptoms has been extensively explored in pre-clinical studies. This particular study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze the existing literature on the use of medical cannabis or its derivatives in patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The researchers wanted to determine its effect on motor function and its safety profile.
Study framework
The researchers reviewed and analyzed a total of 15 original, full-text randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies.
Primary outcomes were changes in motor function and dyskinesia.
Secondary outcomes included adverse events and side effects.
All studies were analyzed for risk of bias.
Findings:
The studies reported no significant motor symptom improvement overall.
The meta-analysis of three RCTs did not demonstrate a statistically significant improvement of symptoms in general.
Only one study reported statistically significant improvement in dyskinesia.
The intervention was generally well tolerated by patients.
Bottom line
The authors of this study conclude that some observational studies show a relative symptom alleviation and a growing interest in medical cannabis among Parkinson’s disease patients. However, there is still insufficient evidence to fully support its integration into regular clinical practice for motor symptom treatment. More research needs to be conducted.
Insights from the world of medical cannabis research
“From a clinical data perspective, we know that clinical research on medical cannabis has been focused mostly on the short-term response. We have some projects that will be published in the coming months in which we have been able to isolate longer-term cohorts [up to a year] but the drop-off of patients has been significant. We need to come up with a way to ensure that some of those drop-offs are lessened and that we are using products that we can trust as the whole cannabis evidence space moves forward.”
--Dr. Hance Clarke, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, speaking at the Real World Medicannabis Symposium in December, 2020
Cannabidiol and Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children
A recent review study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry noted that neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders (such as autism spectrum disorder) have broad health implications for children, with no cure for the majority. According to the researchers, medicinal cannabis has been successfully used in clinical trials to manage many of the patients’ symptoms and improve their quality of life. Cannabidiol (CBD), in particular, has been reported to be safe and well-tolerated and demonstrates anticonvulsant, anxiolytic and anti-inflammatory properties.
The study authors write that the consensus is that the endocannabinoid system is a crucial factor in neural development and health. They note that research has found evidence there are many signalling pathways involving neurotransmitters and the endocannabinoid system by which CBD could potentially apply therapeutic effects. In this context, the review suggests that a better understanding of the cannabinoids' mechanisms of action should lead to improved treatments for neurodevelopmental disorders.
The study conducted in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, reviewed many different sources, including other reviews and clinical trials.
Data breakdown
Phytocannabinoids (cannabinoids) could be pharmaceutically beneficial for some neurological and psychiatric conditions.
CBD does not significantly interact with the cannabinoid receptors that THC interacts with.
Therapeutic administration of CBD has been demonstrated to relieve a range of neuropsychiatric symptoms in schizophrenia, depression and anxiety.
Key takeaways:
Phase 1b-2 trials of CBD therapy in autism spectrum syndrome (ASD) have demonstrated a positive response in irritability, hyperactivity and anxiety.
Other trials are underway for anxiety/behavioural outcomes in ASD, 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22QS) and Tourette's syndrome.
In Fragile X syndrome (FXS), positive results have also been obtained in case studies and clinical trials involving children.
Bottom line:
This study has shown a strong body of evidence that suggests early CBD treatment may offer significant potential to safely relieve many of the common symptoms affecting children with neurodevelopmental disorders. It also suggests that CBD is currently the most promising therapeutic cannabinoid for children due to its safety profile and broad-spectrum action.
The next edition of CJMC Fortnightly will be distributed on Wednesday, June 30. Sign up for a free subscription by clicking the link below.
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