The concept that the chemicals present in cannabis interact synergistically with each other to enhance their therapeutic effects and attenuate side effects.
Published in Chapter:
Medicinal Cannabis for Alzheimer's Disease
Genevieve Z. Steiner-Lim (Western Sydney University, Australia), Madilyn Coles (Western Sydney University, Australia), Kayla Jaye (Western Sydney University, Australia), Najwa-Joelle Metri (Western Sydney University, Australia), Ali S. Butt (Western Sydney University, Australia), Katerina Christofides (Western Sydney University, Australia), Jackson McPartland (Western Sydney University, Australia), Zainab Al-Modhefer (Western Sydney University, Australia), Diana Karamacoska (Western Sydney University, Australia), Ethan Russo (University of Washington, USA), and Tim Karl (Western Sydney University, Australia)
Copyright: © 2023
|Pages: 47
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-5652-1.ch001
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, and currently there is no cure. New therapeutic strategies that have the potential to address the complex pathophysiology of AD are urgently required; medicinal cannabis offers this possibility. Several potential leads can be extracted from Cannabis sativa (cannabis) that can target AD pathophysiology and alleviate symptoms, making it a prime candidate for AD drug discovery research. To date, most cannabis and AD research has focused on the major cannabinoids Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), paying little attention to other plant constituents with therapeutic properties for AD. This chapter will highlight emerging evidence on the therapeutic potential of medicinal cannabis going beyond CBD and THC to discuss cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabinoid acids, and other cannabinoid homologs, terpenes, and flavonoids that may have relevance to AD therapy. Further, the entourage effect, clinical implications, and directions for future research will be discussed.