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Cannabis Nurse Truths

Cannabis Nurse Truths

Health & Fitness:Medicine

Ep. 56 - Cannabis for Brain Health

Ep. 56 - Cannabis for Brain Health

2025-04-02
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Cannabis has been used by humans for over 6,000 years and is considered to be one of the first plants specifically cultivated for human use. In industrial uses, cannabis can be made into fibers, paper, oil, biofuel, animal bedding and feed, and construction materials, like hempcrete, hemp lumber, and hemp insulation.

As a medicine, cannabis can be specifically tailored to treat a disease by targeting the two major actions of cannabinoids, which are anti-oxidation and neuroprotection.  That means that the cannabinoids found in cannabis can be used to treat every disease known to man, as we now recognize inflammation in the body and brain as the major driver of chronic disease states.

But cannabinoids can also offer protection and reversal of disease; some studies even suggest cannabinoids can reverse aging, especially in the brain as some of the compounds target sensitive cells in the central nervous system to protect, repair, and regrow new neurons that mimic young brains, even in older adults.

In this episode of Cannabis Nurse Truths, we examine the neuroprotective and reparative effects of cannabinoids, and studies to date have indicated that these compounds have incredible potential for treating - and reversing - a host of neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, seizures, and even aging. 

After all, it’s why the Department of Health and Human Services slapped a patent on cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants back in 2003, indicating our government is heavily invested in research using cannabis to treat these disorders. Welcome to the Stoned Age!

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Kale, M.B., Umare, M.D., Wankhede, N.L., Deshmukh, R., Abbot, V., Anwer, M.K., Taksande, B.G., Upaganlawar, A.B., Umekar, M.J., Ramniwas, S., Gulati, M., Arora, R., & Behl, T. (2025). Decoding the therapeutic potential of cannabis and cannabinoids in neurological disorders. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 31(8), 630–644. https://doi.org/10.2174/0113816128318194240918113954 

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Patel, V., Abu-Hijleh, F., Rigg, N., & Mishra, R. (2023). Cannabidiol Protects Striatal Neurons by Attenuating Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 8(2), 299–308. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2022.0090

Palomares, B., Ruiz-Pino, F., Garrido-Rodriguez, M., Eugenia Prados, M., Sánchez-Garrido, M. A., Velasco, I., Vazquez, M. J., Nadal, X., Ferreiro-Vera, C., Morrugares, R., Appendino, G., Calzado, M. A., Tena-Sempere, M., & Muñoz, E. (2020). Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid A (THCA-A) reduces adiposity and prevents metabolic disease caused by diet-induced obesity. Biochemical Pharmacology, 171, 113693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcp.2019.113693
 
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Watson, K.K., Bryan, A.D., Thayer, R.E., Ellingson, J.M., Skrzynski, C.J., & Hutchison, K. E. (2022). Cannabis use and resting state functional connectivity in the aging brain. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 14, 804890. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.804890 

 

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