History of Cannabis and Modern Medicinal Use of CBD
By Ashlee Bushee
Cannabis was one of the first plants to be used as medicine. Ancient texts from Indian Hindus, Assyrians, Greeks, and Romans indicate its use for arthritis, depression, inflammation, lack of an appetite, and asthma. The first documented use appears in Emperor Shen Nung’s book of pharmacopoeia around 2800 BC. Even in the early days of the United States, hemp was a common crop, and in the early 1900s cannabis was sold openly in pharmacies and a common ingredient in medicinal products. In this article, we will explore the history of cannabis in the United States, dive into the chemistry of cannabis products, and explore current medical research on the use of cannabis to treat inflammation.
Cannabis and Public Opinion
Following a long tradition of cultivation, public opinion on the use of cannabis started to change after the Mexican Revolution in 1910, when politicians constructed a caricature of a thieving, cannabis-using immigrant. This political trend continued into the Great Depression, when many politicians used marijuana and immigrants as the scapegoat for the nation’s problems. By 1931, 29 states had outlawed cannabis. In 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act was officially passed, criminalizing marijuana and resulting in a heavy excise tax for any medicinal or industrial use. In the midst of political and public pressure for harsher restrictions on cannabis, chemist Roger Adams first elucidated the structure of cannabidiol (CBD). Subsequent studies revealed Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as the compound largely responsible for mood-altering behaviors. Around this time there was a brief moment during World War II when U.S. farmers were incentivized to grow hemp products, and farmers planted over 375,000 acres. However, the 1950s saw the renewal of harsher restrictions, including 2-10 years of jail time, and up to a $20,000 fine. It wasn’t until 1996 that the tides began to turn in favor of cannabis use, and California passed proposition 215 which allowed for the sale of cannabis for medical use for people with serious illnesses. While this legislation was still highly contentious it opened the door to revitalizing public opinion and advance research on cannabis. While still federally illegal, nineteen states have completely legalized cannabis products. Scientific interest in the effects of CBD has also increased. Between 1999 and 2002, only 50 articles were published on the effects of CBD. By 2003 to 2007, this number had increased to 225 articles, and between 2008 to 2015 over 1,200 articles were published.
Cannabis Compounds
Scientists have successfully identified over 100 chemical compounds in cannabis known as cannabinoids. Most notably, these include CBD, THC, and cannabidiol (CBN). THC is best known for its psychoactive effects. Though THC and CBD have the same molecular formula, they are structurally different, with CBD possessing a hydroxyl group in lieu of a ring structure. This minor difference in configuration has profound impacts on the way these molecules interact with the human body.
How do CBD and THC work in the body?
In order to understand how cannabis interacts with the body, it is first essential to understand the endocannabinoid system (ECS) which regulates many of our most critical body functions including learning and memory, emotional processing, sleep, temperature control, pain control, inflammatory and immune responses and hunger. The two main cannabinoid receptors are the CB1 and CB2 receptors. The body naturally creates endocannabinoids that can signal either CB1 or CB2. Molecules in the cannabis plant are similar enough to these naturally occurring compounds that they can trigger a response. In fact, exogenous cannabinoids have a much greater affinity for our receptors compared to our endocannabinoids, meaning they can result in a much more potent effect on the body. The CB1 receptor plays a role in controlling mood, hunger, memory, and learning. Hence, phytocannabinoids like THC have the potential to make someone hungry, forgetful, happy or struggle to learn something new. CB2 receptors are largely found in immune tissue. Hence, activators of this receptor have the potential to influence the body’s immune response and pain.
CBD for Inflammation
Most of us have heard about the anti-inflammatory properties of things like turmeric, blueberries, and CBD, but what exactly does that mean? Inflammation is part of the body’s natural immune response to fight against tissue damage, viruses, and bacteria. When the immune system detects that something is off, it responds by sending white blood cells to the impacted sites. This rapid response can result in redness, swelling, and sometimes a fever. Inflammation is essential to the protection and health of the body, but can become dangerous in chronic conditions, or when the body triggers an inflammatory response in the absence of any real threat. Preliminary work has demonstrated that CBD may suppress pro-inflammatory genes to control overactivity of immune cells.
Though cannabis has enjoyed a long history of medical use, the scientific research is still in its infancy. Now that cannabis is more widely accepted, we look forward to seeing what modern research will reveal about this powerful plant.
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