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In reply to the discussion: Is cannabis a "miracle" medicine? [View all]Bennyboy
(10,440 posts)A remarkable study published in the journal Molecular Pharmacology in 2006, found that this long vilified plant contains a compound with not one, but two therapeutic properties ideal for addressing both the surface symptom (memory problems) and root cause (brain plaque) of Alzheimers disease. This is an ironic finding, considering that the prevailing stereotype is that using marijuana fries the brain, leading to debilitating memory issues.
Researchers discovered that the psychoactive component of marijuana, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), both competitively inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) as well as prevents AChE-induced amyloid β-peptide (Aβ
aggregation.
On the first account, THCs ability to inhibit the AChE enzyme, is not unlike the mechanism of action behind most Alzheimers drugs on the market today. Drugs like donepezil (trade name Aricept), for instance, by targeting and inhibiting the brain enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), result in an increase in brain levels of this neurotransmitter, which in turn, results in symptom reduction, i.e. improved memory. Donepezil, however, is riddled with controversy due its well-known association with seizures, which likely reflects its intrinsic neurotoxicity. It is, in fact, a chemical in the same general chemical class as venom, insecticides and chemical war agents, such as nerve gas.
Read more at http://www.realfarmacy.com/still-think-marijuana-harms-the-memory-you-need-to-read-this/#6ZJxucVlLygVypgA.99
http://www.realfarmacy.com/still-think-marijuana-harms-the-memory-you-need-to-read-this/