An awesome article was posted on Science Daily this month. One of the main points of the article and information explains how cannabinoids are produced naturally by the body, especially in times of pain. The research also focuses on and eludes to certain ‘endocannabinoids’ that can be used to treat a specific illness, and allow a patient to avoid the “high” that comes with using Marijuana.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714192555.htm
“We don’t have cannabinoid receptors just in case we come into contact with plant-derived chemicals that activate them but rather because we have our own molecules that do this,” said Christopher Fowler, Professor of Pharmacology at Umea University, in Sweden, and co-chair of the meeting.
“The neat thing about endocannabinoids is that they are often produced only when we need them, such as when our bodies are damaged in some way; pain, for example, leads to a release of endocannabinoids in a region of the brain that is involved with pain control.
“The problem with this natural protective ‘endocannabinoid system’ is that it is too short-lived to be of great benefit — enzymes in our bodies quickly breakdown or metabolise the endocannabinoids negating their effect. It’s a bit like a bathtub without a plug — the water is turned on but rapidly disappears down the plughole. This suggests an immediate target: block the plughole and the water will stay longer.
Good times. Keep Studying.