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Medical Cannabis (For Patients)

Medical Cannabis (For Patients)

What is Medical Cannabis?

Medical cannabis is a plant product of Cannabis sativa L., Cannabis indica or hybrid plant varieties, either obtained as raw or dried or as an extract for medical use. Cannabinoids are naturally occurring compounds of cannabis. The common compound of medical cannabis includes delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)​1​.

How Medical Cannabis Work?

The exact mechanism of action of medical cannabis is not properly understood. Medical cannabis functions by binding to specific receptors known as cannabinoid receptors. The THC and CBD binds to various receptors in the cells of the central nervous system and immune system and induce a series of pathways that ultimately leads to reduced pain sensation in the cells and increased cancer cell death​2​.

What Is Cannabinoid Therapy for Cancer?

Cannabinoid therapy revolves around the utilization of cannabinoids – compounds found within the cannabis plant. There are over 100 different cannabinoids, but the most renowned are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). These compounds interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system, influencing pain, mood, appetite, and other physiological processes.

For cancer patients, cannabinoid therapy provides potential relief from various symptoms and side effects. But the question remains: how are CBD and cancer care intertwined?

Uses of Medical cannabis in Cancer patients

Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting

Medical cannabis finds great importance in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Medical cannabis has been found to be effective in suppressing nausea among cancer patients​3​.

Cancer-Associated Pain

Medical cannabis is also reported to have pain relieving properties in cancer-associated pain, particularly neuropathic pain. Medical cannabis inhibits the release of inflammatory substances as well as increase the release of pain relieving opioids to prevent inflammation​4​.

Medical Cannabis as an Antitumor Agent

Medical cannabis has been reported to be used for potential chemotherapeutic treatment. Cannabinoids are reported to induce cancer cell death through various cellular pathways. They are also reported to decreased tumor spread and growth​5​.

Medical Cannabis for reduced anxiety and increased sleep

Medical cannabis may be useful for enhancing sleep and post-traumatic stress disorder. It may also help to manage stress, anxiety, and other symptoms.

Marijuana-based Cancer Therapies: Beyond Symptom Management

While managing symptoms is crucial, recent studies have hinted that cannabis might play a more direct role in combating cancer. Some pre-clinical studies have suggested that certain cannabinoids can slow tumour growth and even induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in some cancer cell types. This emerging area of marijuana-based cancer therapies is still in its infancy but holds immense promise for the future.

The ZenOnco.io Approach to Integrating Cannabis in Oncology

At ZenOnco.io, our holistic, integrative care emphasizes the need to offer comprehensive treatment plans. Recognizing the potential of cannabis, we provide our patients with detailed consultations regarding medical cannabis. Our experts recommend suitable CBD medicines, ensuring they align seamlessly with the patient’s overall cancer care regimen.

Our commitment doesn’t end at the consultation. We ensure that after recommending a particular cannabis cancer treatment, regular follow-ups are conducted. This guarantees that our patients always have the support they need every step of the way.

Effectiveness of medical cannabis on cancer treatment

Various research studies have reported that medical cannabis helps in reducing tumor growth, tumor spread and promoting tumor cell death. Medical cannabis has been reported to significantly reduce the pain of advanced stage cancer patients​6,7​.

Dosage of Medical cannabis and THC:CBD ratio

There are no legalized medical or recreational ratios of THC: CBD in drafted regulations. Healthcare providers are therefore required to understand the medical impacts of cannabis as well as the requirement of patients during the prescription of medical cannabis to cancer patients.

Approval by Regulatory Bodies

The AYUSH Ministry in India permits the use of the Vijaya or cannabis extract for medical purposes. Both CBD and THC are permitted to be used for treatment.

After Effects of Medical cannabis

Several after effects have been reported after the intake of medical cannabis and cannabinoids. Some may be beneficial for cancer patients, such as sedation and mood enhancement. Some of the common side effects include:

  • Alteration of mood
  • Dry mouth
  • Increased anxiety 
  • Increased depression
  • Hallucinations
  • Sensation of depersonalisation
  • Memory impairment
  • Dizziness
  • Blurred vision

Medical cannabis in cancer treatment may have potential in its use for managing refractory cancer pain, reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting anticipatory and and as an antitumor agent. Currently, medical cannabis is not the primary means of treatment for any cancer type or treatment-related to adverse effect; however, it can be used as an alternative medicine in cancer treatment.

Now avail exciting offers on Medical cannabis for cancer patients from ZenOnco.io at : https://zenonco.io/cancer3/products/medizen-medical-cbd-4000-mg/

Safety of Medical Cannabis

Medical cannabis is safe in the form of standardised spray or edible paste. Medical cannabis is possibly unsafe when smoked. Smoking cannabis increases risk of developing lung cancer. Some reports suggest that smoking cannabis might cause air-filled cavities to form within lung tissue. These air-filled cavities can cause symptoms such as chest pressure, soreness, and difficulty breathing. Medical cannabis products containing cannabis extract can cause headache, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, and paranoid thinking. Medical cannabis might also increase appetite, increase heart rate, increase or decrease blood pressure​2​.

What to consider before buying cannabis products

Medical cannabis has many different health benefits that are being discovered and, as a result, attracts an increasing number of buyers. However, just like any product or service, it’s essential to thoroughly investigate what you buy before purchasing it. Here are four key considerations to take into account when buying cannabis for the first time.

1) Its CBD content

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is an active cannabinoid in the cannabis plant. Generally, cannabidiol has no intoxicating effects. When present in a product in a ratio of 1:1 of CBD and THC, CBD is likely to counteract some psychoactive effects of THC.

If you prefer less psychoactive experiences, choose products with a high ratio of CBD to THC. It may be confusing especially for people new to cannabis as they may not be able to distinguish the best CBD products from the bad ones.

Generally, products with a CBD concentration of 4% to 9% are considered to have a high content of CBD. Besides CBD content in a strain of cannabis, there are other factors to consider when selecting the right products for you. They include:

  • The flavor profile.
  • The terpene profile.
  • The amount of THC.

2) The THC level

Tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, is the chemical associated with the intoxicating and psychoactive effects of marijuana. Understanding the potential of THC is important in gauging the level of psychoactive sensation you are likely to experience.

THC potency in a product is expressed as a percentage. For example, a 15% THC product means that it has a THC content of 150 milligrams per gram of the total marijuana content.

It is crucial to note that 20% of THC content is considered to be very strong. The highest THC percentage is 33%. Most cannabis products fall between 15% and 20% THC.

3) The method of consumption

Different routes of administration trigger the production of different molecules in your bloodstream. So how you choose to consume cannabis may affect your experiences.

Ingestion (drinking or eating) and inhalation (vaping or smoking) produce different effects because of how the drug enters your bloodstream. If you are vaping, you should be careful with the device’s temperature. Inhalation produces results almost immediately. This is why vaping and smoking CBD has become one of the most popular consumption methods. You should wait at least five minutes before inhaling again to help control your experience. As you inhale marijuana, be aware of its effects on your lungs.

It will take longer to experience the effects of ingested marijuana. At a minimum, you can wait about 30 to 60 minutes to metabolize cannabis and feel the effects. Edible marijuana comes in many forms, including soda, gummies, and buttered popcorn.

4) Your personal factors

Your experience with cannabis will be dependent on many personal factors. Everyone’s endocannabinoid and physiology system is different, which individualizes the effects of cannabis.

So you should consider factors such as your age, overall physical and mental health etc. You can also check how long cannabis stays in your system with the thc half life chart.

Before buying a cannabis strain, do your research to determine the product that will work best for you. The chemical level and quality should not be overlooked.


References

  1. 1.
    Bridgeman M, Abazia D. Medicinal Cannabis: History, Pharmacology, And Implications for the Acute Care Setting. P T. 2017;42(3):180-188. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28250701
  2. 2.
    Wilkie G, Sakr B, Rizack T. Medical Marijuana Use in Oncology: A Review. JAMA Oncol. 2016;2(5):670-675. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2016.0155
  3. 3.
    Himmi T, Dallaporta M, Perrin J, Orsini JC. Neuronal responses to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in the solitary tract nucleus. European Journal of Pharmacology. Published online October 1996:273-279. doi:10.1016/0014-2999(96)00490-6
  4. 4.
    Manzanares J, Julian M, Carrascosa A. Role of the cannabinoid system in pain control and therapeutic implications for the management of acute and chronic pain episodes. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2006;4(3):239-257. doi:10.2174/157015906778019527
  5. 5.
    Qamri Z, Preet A, Nasser M, et al. Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists inhibit tumor growth and metastasis of breast cancer. Mol Cancer Ther. 2009;8(11):3117-3129. doi:10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-09-0448
  6. 6.
    Sharafi G, He H, Nikfarjam M. Potential Use of Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer. J Pancreat Cancer. 2019;5(1):1-7. doi:10.1089/pancan.2018.0019
  7. 7.
    Portenoy R, Ganae-Motan E, Allende S, et al. Nabiximols for opioid-treated cancer patients with poorly-controlled chronic pain: a randomized, placebo-controlled, graded-dose trial. J Pain. 2012;13(5):438-449. doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2012.01.003
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