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Saturday, April 23, 2011

Cannabis and Crohn's dissease.

  In very basic terms, people with Crohn’s disease have a defective barrier to their gut, which allows bacteria to leak into the intestinal tissue and set up an inflammatory response. It seems then that the answer to the problems posed by this illness is to restore integrity to the gut barrier.


Researchers found that plant-derived cannabinoids – that is, weed, encouraged tighter bonds between the cells that form that gut barrier, therefore making it less leaky.
While it has been known for a long time that cannabis is a powerful anti-inflammatory, the discovery that it actually reintegrates the intestinal lining is a new one.
 
Cannabis is a great alternative and complimentary treatment for patients with Crohn’s disease.  It has shown to eliminate nausea, reduce abdominal cramping and also increase patients appetites.  It can also reduce the amount of loose stools patients suffer from during the day.  The great thing is that it is very well tolerated and has minimal side effects.  it is not toxic to any of the major organ systems and if vaporized (vs smoked) it does not affect a patients lungs.  It is certainly worth trying for patients who suffer with this terribly debilitating disease.

Chemicals found in cannabis could prove an effective treatment for the inflammatory bowel diseases Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease, say scientists. Laboratory tests have shown that two compounds found in the cannabis plant - the cannabimoids  THC and cannabidiol - interact with the body's system that controls gut function. Crohn's Dissease and Colitis, which affect about one in every 250 people in Northern Europe, are caused by both genetic and environmental factors. The researchers believe that a genetic susceptibility coupled with other triggers, such as diet, stress or bacterial imbalance, leads to a defective immune response.

Dr Karen Wright, Peel Trust Lecturer in Biomedicine at Lancaster University: .."The lining of the intestines provides a barrier against the contents of the gut but in people with Chrohn's, this barrier leaks and bacteria can escape into the intestinal tissue leading to an inappropriate immune response.  If we could find a way to restore barrier integrity in patients we may be able to curb the inflammatory immune response that causes these chronic conditions."
 "What is also encouraging is that while THC has psychoactive properties and is responsible for the 'high' people experience when using cannabis, cannabidiol, which has also proved effective in restoring membrane integrity, does not possess such properties."



Cannabis-using Crohn's patients not only report significant relief of their symptoms, they are also able to reduce the amount of immunosuppressive medications that have been a mainstay of conventional treatment. Imuran, methotrexate, 6 MP, and Remicade (an anti-TNF drug) are greatly reduced. Asacol and Pentasa brands of Mesalamine, an anti-inflammatory medication with immuno-modulating properties is also reduced in many cases. Steroids are noted to be reduced and often eliminated.

Some of the patients' responses include these telling remarks:

  "A terrific reliever of Crohn's symptoms."
  "A more easily controlled medication than offered by pills."
  "Alcohol has been a big problem for me that I don't have with cannabis."
  "Only positive effects, no negative effects."
  " Best appetite stimulant, very good calming effect."
  "Cannabis provides relief without knocking me out or other bad side effects that I had with steroids."
  "I've committed myself to this form of therapy, and my quality of life has improved by leaps and bounds."
  "I've struggled for years with opiate addiction from chronic pancreatitis —cannabis lets me control my pain without being a slave to opiates."
  "Marinol bothered my stomach —I don't get sick, constipated, or vomit with cannabis."



 http://www.news-medical.net/news/20091217/Cannabis-for-Ulcerative-Colitis-and-Crohns-Disease-treatment.aspx

A diet with Broccoli and Bananas is not a bad advice either, the use of Kurkuma/Turmeric is a MUST, while it's important to eat fruits BEFORE the meals...!

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