Cannabis is such a chemically complex and
controversial little plant. It has all sorts of social and historical
connotations that basically revolve around getting high. But marijuana doesn’t have to get you high. There is a compound in weed that has documented
benefits for medical patients, without the stoned feeling -- CBD. While THC is the popular compound in the marijuana
plant, cannabidiol or CBD is THC’s non-hallucinogenic buddy. The yin and the yang. The high people get from weed is caused by
a specific and well-known compound in the plant called Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol,
or THC. It’s brother CBD doesn’t possess any of
the mind-altering, mood-changing properties that THC does, and thus get’s a lot less
attention. Many recreational users want the high, but
people who have cancer don’t. Many people want to get the benefits of of
medical marijuana, but also want to be able to go about their day and not be locked on
the couch. To understand these CBD-specific benefits,
we have to understand how cannabis (in general) works in the brain. A marijuana plant contains over 60 different
chemical compounds called cannabinoids that act on the body’s endocannabinoid system. This system modulates all sorts of mind-body
functions. For example, if you’re in pain it keeps
your body from going haywire -- this is called downregulation. It downregulates stress-related signals that
lead to inflammation and pain. It also works in your immune system and elsewhere
in the body. There are two main receptors that these cannabinoids
bind to, conveniently named CB1 and CB2. When a cannabinoid like THC hits the body,
it acts on the CB 1 receptor, and affects memory, concentration and coordination. It gets you high. When a cannabinoid like CBD hits the body,
it doesn’t act on CB-receptors, but hits other, pain receptors that affect pain perception,
anxiety, inflammation and so on... thus, it doesn’t get you high. THC and CBD both have similar chemical makeups
but different structures, which is why scientists suspect they act differently in the brain. So, of all these promising applications, CBD
is most famous for its potential to treat pediatric epilepsy -- or more importantly
the seizures that are inherent to children with epilepsy. To put it simply, a seizure happens when the
brain’s electricity spikes and the brain's circuitry freezes. One parent described their son's seizures
like "an overtaxed electrical grid.” Researchers haven't fully identified the mechanisms
underlying CBD's capabilities to reduce these seizures, but scientists think CBD may improve
the function of the endocannabinoid system, somehow. Then it can regulate the central nervous system
and protect against convulsive activity. Evidence of CBD’s benefits for pediatric
epilepsy have been largely anecdotal, until now. A recent study published in the New England
Journal of Medicine found that children with a complex form of epilepsy who took CBD saw
a 23 percent greater reduction in convulsive seizures than those taking a placebo.Researchers
used a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial; the gold-standard for trials. It’s a big deal for the future of CBD-as-medicine. There’s a lot we still need to figure out
about CBD, but more research is hard to do. At the end of 2016, CBD was declared a Schedule
I drug, in part, because THC and CBD are both in the same plant. The DEA says it’s easier to keep track of
CBD if it’s regulated in this way, but after recent studies we’re starting to see medicinal
benefits of CBD. And Schedule I-ing a drug stymies research
because scientists have to go through an incredible amount of bureaucratic hoop jumping to get
access to it. At this point, scientists still have to prove
that it’s safe and well tolerated, with a set dosage and a known list of side effects. Hopefully, the scientific process will continue
to run its course, even within the limitations. Special thanks to our sponsor, Domain dot com. When you buy a domain name from Domain Dot
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domain names and web hosting when you use coupon code SEEKER at checkout. A bunch of states across the United States
and other countries have decriminalized marijuana. But, can weed be addictive? Find out the answer here. Have a science question you want us to answer? Let us know in the comments, subscribe and
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