antiins.icu

Origins and Extraction of CBD
CBD is a naturally occurring compound in both marijuana and hemp plants, which are variants of the Cannabis sativa species. Hemp is legally defined as having less than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive component of cannabis, while marijuana can contain higher levels of THC. The source of CBD is crucial for users; hemp-derived CBD contains negligible THC and is widely used for therapeutic purposes without inducing a high. In contrast, marijuana-derived CBD may contain varying THC levels, potentially leading to psychoactive effects (Ministry of Hemp).

Interaction with the Endocannabinoid System
CBD’s influence on the body stems from its interaction with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which plays a key role in regulating physiological processes. The ECS comprises CB1 and CB2 receptors, with CB1 receptors primarily located in the brain and central nervous system, and CB2 receptors found throughout the immune system. Unlike THC, which binds directly to these receptors, CBD has a low affinity for both CB1 and CB2 receptors, acting more as an indirect antagonist or modulator of their activity.

Research suggests that CBD may enhance the effects of THC while mitigating its adverse side effects, such as memory impairment and anxiety. This phenomenon is known as the “entourage effect,” where the combined action of cannabis compounds produces a synergistic outcome, potentially more beneficial than any single compound alone (Project CBD).

Diverse Methods of Consumption
CBD can be introduced into the body through various methods, each with its own absorption rate and efficacy:

Inhalation via smoking or vaporizing for rapid absorption and immediate effects.
Oral ingestion in the form of capsules, edibles, or oils, which offers delayed onset due to metabolic processing.
Sublingual application, where CBD is absorbed through the mucous membranes under the tongue for quicker absorption than oral ingestion.
Topical application for localized issues, where CBD is absorbed through the skin, bypassing the bloodstream.
Therapeutic Applications and Research
CBD’s rise to fame was catalyzed by the story of Charlotte Figi, a young girl with Dravet syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy. Her remarkable improvement with a high-CBD, low-THC cannabis extract, later named “Charlotte’s Web,” highlighted CBD’s potential as an anticonvulsant. This led to the FDA approval of Epidiolex, a CBD-based medication for treating Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (FDA).

Beyond epilepsy, CBD is being investigated for its potential in treating a range of conditions, including anxiety, depression, pain, and inflammation. Its neuroprotective properties, vasodilatory effects, and ability to promote neurogenesis are of particular interest to researchers. A study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology highlights CBD’s potential to alleviate symptoms related to anxiety disorders and to protect against cerebrovascular damage (NCBI).

Potential Beneficial Effects of CBD Use
CBD’s interaction with the ECS and other neurotransmitter systems suggests a broad spectrum of possible therapeutic effects. It may help regulate mood, enhance brain plasticity, and support cognitive function. Additionally, CBD’s anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties make it a candidate for pain management and a complementary therapy for cancer patients, potentially slowing tumor growth.

Emerging research also points to CBD’s promise in treating PTSD and other stress-related disorders by reducing anxiety levels. The concept of an endocannabinoid deficiency has been proposed, where phytocannabinoids like CBD could supplement the body’s endogenous cannabinoids, similar to taking vitamins for a nutrient deficiency.

Conclusion
CBD’s complex relationship with the human body continues to intrigue scientists and consumers alike. As research progresses, the full scope of CBD’s benefits and mechanisms of action will become clearer, potentially unlocking new therapeutic applications for this versatile compound. With ongoing studies and clinical trials, the future of CBD as a mainstream medical treatment looks promising.

Recently, in a study published in Cancer Research, scientists from New York University and other institutions have found that a key immune signal may play a previously unknown role in turning off the immune system to attack pancreatic cancer. The researchers found that the immune signaling protein interleukin 1β (IL-1β) can be made and released by pancreatic tumor cells, while it reduces the body’s anti-cancer immune response, thereby promoting the growth of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA), a type of cancer that is usually fatal within two years.

The researchers say blocking IL-1 Beta activity in mice with antibodies may reduce PDA tumor growth by 32%, while other experiments can combine anti-IL-1β antibodies (which can lock and neutralize their targets) with antibody therapies that have been approved to turn off the PD1 protein checkpoint. To protect normal cells from immune attack, the immune system uses checkpoints on immune cells to turn off when they receive normal signals; cancer cells intercept checkpoints to turn off the function of the immune system, triggering the immune knowledge of CD8 + T cells, which in turn kills cancer cells, a therapy called checkpoint inhibitors can effectively neutralize this effect.

Although effective against a variety of cancers, checkpoint inhibitors are helpless for the treatment of PDA. In some experiments, the tumor response rate to therapy is only about 3%, and poor CD8 + T cell infiltration and immunosuppression are the main reasons for the limitations. In the current study, the researchers found that adding anti-IL-1β antibody to anti-PD-1 antibody therapy doubled T cell infiltration into PDA and increased the anti-tumor activity of PD-1 blockers by 40%.

Dr. Dafna Bar-Sagi, a researcher, said that by engineering mice to lack the IL-1β gene, we found for the first time that pancreatic cancer cells can produce IL-1β, which is essential for the continued growth of PDA tumors, and blocking IL-1β using antibody therapy may provide a novel strategy to make pancreatic tumors on the host immune system, thus potentially increasing the therapeutic potential of checkpoint inhibitors.

The findings of this study are consistent with previous research work by other researchers, which describe that the body’s microbiome changes when PDA is present, and that the microbiome is a key factor in cancer growth, an area that traditionally allocates IL-1β production to immune cells, but this study found that pancreatic tumor cells can also respond to proteins released by specific bacteria. The researchers say bacterial products can activate a protein on the cell surface called toll-like receptors, which can turn on the chain reaction needed for IL-1β production in cancer cells.

In addition, the researchers found that high levels of IL-1β promoted increased production of high-density proteins such as collagen in nearby pancreatic stellate cells, an overgrowth of fibrous tissue that often occurs near pancreatic tumors and is not associated with treatment resistance. Active pancreatic stellate cells are able to induce the production of signaling proteins, which can attract macrophages into tumors and reprogram them to become M2 macrophages that can effectively inhibit immune responses; now researchers have confirmed that high levels of IL-1β and M2 macrophages and fibroblast-driven connective tissue formation may reduce the ability of CD8 + T cells that kill cancer cells to enter tumors.

Finally, researcher Shipra Das said, this study provides strong evidence that blocking IL-1β activity may promote better penetration of T cells into tumors and kill cancer cells, which may hopefully overcome the dilemmas and limitations of current immunotherapy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.