Marijuana Holds Promise for Alzheimer’s Sufferers

[BobbyB]

Marijuana Holds Promise for Alzheimer’s Sufferers

A key component, THC in marijuana may soon be used in a new generation of drugs to protect the brain form the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease according to a new study.

Lab studies by researchers from the Scripps Research Institute, showed that THC blocked enzymes that lead to the formation of Alzheimer’s plaques in sufferers’ brains more current Alzheimer’s drugs.

Alzheimer's disease has been found to be the leading cause of dementia among the elderly with about 290,000 Canadians over 65 affected by the disease. The Alzheimer Society of Canada has estimated a doubling of the number of cases over the next two decades with most of the victims being women. Till date no cure has been found for this progressive, degenerative brain disease.

Kim Janda, director of the Worm Institute of Research and Medicine at the institute, said the findings offer “evidence that THC possesses remarkable inhibitory qualities.”

"I'm not at all suggesting you smoke pot," said Janda who is working on the development of vaccines against cocaine, nicotine and substances of abuse.

The study authors wrote, “Our results provide a mechanism whereby the THC molecule can directly impact Alzheimer’s disease pathology.” They also predicted that THC would prove valuable as a model for developing new and more effective drugs to treat the disease.

This is one among the latest studies to suggest the compound that produces a high might also be protective to the brain. Marijuana-like compounds are already being tested in mice against the fatal brain disease ALS, or Lou Gehrig's
http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?x=14937

[BobbyB]

Pot may hold Alzheimer's promise
Sharon Kirkey, CanWest News Service
Published: Monday, October 09, 2006
THC, the active component in marijuana, may protect the brain from the ravages of Alzheimer's disease, U.S. scientists reported.

In lab experiments, investigators from Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., found THC appears to block an enzyme in the brain that causes plaques to form better than currently approved drugs.

Alzheimer's is the leading cause of dementia among the elderly. An estimated 290,000 Canadians over 65 have the disease -- a number expected to double over the next two decades. Women account for more than two-thirds of cases, according to the Alzheimer Society of Canada. The progressive, degenerative brain disease has no cure.

"I'm not at all suggesting you smoke pot," said Kim Janda, a professor of chemistry and immunology at Scripps, who is working on developing vaccines against cocaine, nicotine and other drugs of abuse.

But his team's work may provide a lead for new and more effective medications, he said.

"I think it could have strong implications that molecules like THC could prevent fibrils or plaque formation."

It's the latest study to suggest the compound that produces a high might also be protective to the brain. Marijuana-like compounds are already being tested in mice against the fatal brain disease ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

People with Alzheimer's have low levels of acetylcholine, a brain chemical believed to be important for learning and memory.

Existing drugs help ease symptoms of the disease by blocking an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine.

Janda's team found THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) did the same but at lower concentrations. It also "blunted" the formation of fibrils, or long, thread-like fibers that get woven into healthy brain cells, eventually choking them.

The researchers believe they've found a way THC "can directly impact Alzheimer's disease pathology." Their work is published in Molecular Pharmaceutics.

There are important limitations to the study. The experiments didn't involve tests on human cells, or even mice (it's one of the reasons why Janda said they were turned down by several other bigger journals.) Instead, they used synthetic versions of a peptide that causes brain plaques to form.

"The definitive study would be to get animals that have been bred to have early-onset Alzheimer's and look at the long-term effects of chronic THC administration," Janda said.

As well, there is still debate over what causes Alzheimer's, and just how important plaques are in causing the disease.

"I think most people believe it is a key component," Janda said.

According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, symptoms of the illness including forgetting simple words, forgetting things more often, especially things that have happened recently, and trouble performing familiar tasks.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=b4d32f71-12ac-47cb-8704-cb5b8b75ee39&k=33721