Cannabis

Cannabis Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Food Interaction and all others data.

The use of the plant species Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica, popularly known as marijuana, has gained popularity in recent years for the management of a wide variety of medical conditions as a wave of legalization in North America has changed public and medical opinion on its use. Consequently, an expanding body of evidence has begun to emerge that has demonstrated its potential usefulness in the management of conditions such as chronic pain, spasticity, inflammation, epilepsy, and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting among many others. This area of research is controversial and has been heavily debated, however, due to concerns over risks of addiction, long-term health effects, and Cannabis' association with schizophrenia.

From a pharmacological perspective, Cannabis' diverse receptor profile explains its potential application for such a wide variety of medical conditions. Cannabis contains more than 400 different chemical compounds, of which 61 are considered cannabinoids, a class of compounds that act upon cannabinoid receptors of the body . Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) are two types of cannabinoids found naturally in the resin of the marijuana plant, both of which interact with the cannabinoid receptors that are found throughout the body. Although THC and CBD have been the most studied cannabinoids, there are many others identified to date including cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), Cannabidivarin (CBDV), and Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) that have been shown to modify the physiological effects of cannabis .

While both CBD and THC are used for medicinal purposes, they have different receptor activity, function, and physiological effects. THC and CBD are converted from their precursors, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid-A (THCA-A) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), through decarboxylation when unfertilized female cannabis flowers are activated either through heating, smoking, vaporization, or baking. While cannabis in its natural plant form is currently used "off-label" for the management of many medical conditions, THC is currently commercially available in synthetic form as Nabilone, as purified isomer as Dronabinol, or in a 1:1 formulation with CBD from purified plant extract as Nabiximols.

Trade Name	Cannabis
Generic	Medical Cannabis
Medical Cannabis Other Names	Cannabis, Cannabis indica, Cannabis indica top, Cannabis sativa subsp. indica top, Cannabis sativa subsp. indica top extract, Hashish top, Marihuana, Marijuana, Marijuana top
Type
Groups	Experimental, Investigational
Therapeutic Class
Manufacturer
Available Country
Last Updated:	September 19, 2023 at 7:00 am

Volume of Distribution

As a very lipophilic molecule, THC is rapidly distributed into highly perfused tissues such as the lungs, heart, brain, and liver resulting in rapid decreases in plasma concentration. This quick distribution is then also followed by a slow re-release from fatty tissues back into the blood stream, prolonging the half-life of THC .

Elimination Route

Route of administration and formulation determine the rate of drug absorption. Smoking cannabis provides the most rapid route of absorption directly from lungs to brain (with THC levels reaching their peak within 3-10 minutes), while oral administration (with "edibles") is the slowest (with THC levels reaching their peak within 1-2 hours) . In one study, maximum plasma concentration after oral administration, was found to be 4.4-11 ng/mL for 20 mg of THC and 2.7-6.3 ng/mL for 15 mg .

Half Life

The half life of THC in the body depends on frequency of use: for a one time user, THC may be detectable in the blood for up to 1.3 days post-use, while for a frequent user may be present in the bloodstream for 5-13 days

Clearance

One study reported average plasma clearance rates to be 11.8± 3 L/hour for women and 14.9 ±3.7 L/hour for men . Others have determined approximately 36 L/hour for naïve cannabis users and 60 L/hour for regular cannabis users .