Cannabidiol (CBD) is a component of the plant cannabis with great potential for medical applications because of its proven anti-inflammatory, anti-tumoral, analgesic (pain-relieving), and anxiolytic (anxiety-relieving) properties and its lack of psychological side effects. Although it is the most well-known, there are other plant-derived or synthetic cannabinoids with similar therapeutic properties as CBD. These compounds exert their beneficial effects by binding to and activating cannabinoid and cannabinoid-like receptors located on specific types of cells inside the body of not only humans, but also animals including cats.
In a recent study, scientists employed immunohistochemistry, a staining technique, to detect the presence of these receptors in feline gastrointestinal tract (GI) tissues. They found that canonical cannabinoid receptors - namely CB1R, CB2R - and cannabinoid-like receptors - such as GPR55, PPARalpha, TRPA1, and 5-HT1aR - are widely distributed in many cells of the cat GI tract, which suggests that they are likely abundant in the human GI tract as well. When cannabinoids like CBD interact with these receptors, they presumably can reduce pain and inflammation. Although more research is underway to confirm such a conclusion, the novel finding of this study already strongly supports the use of cannabis to treat gut pain and discomfort.
Navigating a cancer diagnosis is one of the most difficult life challenges a person can face. Two-time cancer survivor and EO spokesperson Ethan Zohn says, “cancer is a disease that touches every part of you as a human being: mental, physical, social, spiritual. You’re always just looking for ways to make yourself feel better.”
Gabapentin and cannabis are two substances frequently used to help manage pain and a range of other health conditions. While gabapentin is primarily used to help treat nerve pain, seizures and shingles-related discomfort, cannabis is well known for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory and relaxation-inducing effects.
A growing body of research illustrates the untapped potential of cannabis for a range of medical uses, like helping to manage pain, stress, sleep and appetite. However, studies also indicate that alternative methods of intake are necessary to create consistent, repeatable effects and to reduce the risks associated with smoking cannabis. According to a scientific review by the Institute of Medicine, “the future of cannabinoid drugs lies not in smoked marijuana but in chemically defined drugs that act on the cannabinoid systems that are a natural component of human physiology.”
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