This book comprehensively covers modern topics in cannabinoid research and medicinal use. The chapters span topics from the role of endocannabinoid system in embryonic and fetal development to cardiovascular disease, cancer, drug abuse and cutting-edge therapeutic applications. The content is presented at different levels of resolution. First, following an introduction into cannabinoid system components, readers are immersed into cannabinoid chemistry with a systematic overview of structural data that describe cannabinoid complexes with proteins at the atomic resolution. The remaining chapters capitalize on these interactions. They describe the cannabinoid role during embryonic, fetal, and adolescent development, in the cardiovascular system, cancer progression, and development of alcohol use disorders. Next, the topic of illicit marijuana use and abuse is discussed with an emphasis on possible genetic factors that may play a role in dependence. The book concludes with the most integrative level. It covers promising pharmacological leads in medicinal use of cannabimimetics to treat pain, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative disorders. The book brings together contributions from researchers and clinical scientists at different career stages. While some chapters are presented by well-recognized names, others are written by young investigators emerging in the field of cannabinoid research and medicinal use. The book will be of interest to audiences from biological/chemical disciplines with keen interest in the physiological effects of cannabis. The text quickly introduces the reader to the multi-faceted roles played by endogenous, phyto- and synthetic cannabinoids in health, disease, and modern drug development. Reader will gain insight into the current state of popular but still controversial topic of cannabinoids.

The cannabinoid system plays a central role in a wide variety of physiological functions that touch upon cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, immune, and nervous systems. Cannabinoids also play a central role in developmental physiology, management of pain, and shaping of human behaviour. Recent movements towards legalization of marijuana use have bolstered scientific interest in the cannabinoid field and led to research efforts that would unveil multi-faceted effects and mechanisms of cannabinoid presence in different organs and at various stages of development. This book summarizes the recent advances in the field of cannabinoid research at multiple levels of resolution. It spans from systemic effects of cannabinoids on development, physiological function, and prevalent pathophysiological conditions to mechanisms that govern cannabinoid interaction with their relevant protein targets at atomic resolution. This book will be of interest to a specialized audience in the fields of biochemistry, pharmacology and developmental biology but alsoto a wider readership with interest in general physiology and cannabinoid signalling in biological systems.

The medical use of marijuana is surrounded by a cloud of social, political, and religious controversy, which obscures the facts that should be considered in the debate. This book summarizes what we know about marijuana from evidence-based medicineâ€"the harm it may do and the relief it may bring to patients. The book helps the reader understand not only what science has to say about medical marijuana but also the logic behind the scientific conclusions. Marijuana and Medicine addresses the science base and the therapeutic effects of marijuana use for medical conditions such as glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. It covers marijuana's mechanism of action, acute and chronic effects on health and behavior, potential adverse effects, efficacy of different delivery systems, analysis of the data about marijuana as a gateway drug, and the prospects for developing cannabinoid drugs. The book evaluates how well marijuana meets accepted standards for medicine and considers the conclusions of other blue-ribbon panels. Full of useful facts, this volume will be important to anyone interested in informed debate about the medical use of marijuana: advocates and opponents as well as policymakers, regulators, and health care providers.

Recent Advances in the Science of Cannabis describes progress in a variety of significant areas of cannabis science. This unique book covers topics in cultivation and secondary metabolites, aroma and chemotypes, cannabinoid structures, physiology and pharmacology, as well as the development of unique topical products. State-of-the-art analytical methods and instrumentation are covered, including current developments in mass spectrometry and chromatography, as well as microbial testing. Given the popularity of smoking and vaporizing cannabis, the chemistry of vaping cannabinoid and terpene concentrates is also presented, along with emerging regulatory issues. Key Features: A guide to emerging modern cannabis technology in a dynamic regulatory climate and appealing to both novices and specialists. Building upon pioneering studies of terpene and cannabinoid chemistry, this distinctive volume describes current best practices, technological breakthroughs and historical context. Written by researchers in industry and academia, a greater understanding of the risks of exposure to emissions from vaping or dabbing cannabis concentrates is provided here. A selection of the book content reviewing Thermal Degradation of Cannabinoids and Cannabis Terpenes has been included in “Hot 2021” RSC Advances.

The first foundational text on the clinical use of cannabis and cannabinoid therapies. Despite thousands of years of medical use and an impressive record of safety, versatility, and efficacy, Cannabis sativa has existed outside the modern pharmacopeia since the 1940s. Primarily driven by popular demand, this botanical has returned to health care, but most clinicians lack the knowledge essential for identifying candidates for treatment, guiding patients, maximizing benefit, and minimizing harm. Dustin Sulak provides health care professionals—including physicians, psychologists, pharmacists, and nurses—with an accessible and evidence-based reference that empowers them to intelligently discuss cannabis with their patients and implement cannabis and cannabinoid therapies with confidence. Based on over a decade of clinical experience and an extensive review of the literature, this detailed and scientifically accurate guide includes the history of cannabis in medicine, the foundations of endocannabinoid physiology, the pharmacological effects of cannabis’ myriad active constituents, the clinical utility of its various preparations, and specific strategies and cautions for treating the most common conditions presenting to a cannabis clinician. This guide is an essential resource for practitioners of any specialty field or experience level who wish to improve their patients’ outcomes, harness the healing potential of the endocannabinoid system, and wield a powerful solution to many of healthcare’s challenges.

Over the past decade, there have been major advances in understanding the mechanisms whereby marijuana interacts with the brain in producing psychoactive and potentially therapeutic effects. The discovery of specific gene coding for cannabinoid receptors activated by smoking marijuana, and the finding of endogenous cannabinoids, which also activate the receptors, have transformed cannabinoid research into mainstream science with significant implications in human health and disease Endocannabinoids: The Brain and Body’s Marijuana and Beyond documentsadvances in the discovery and functioning of naturally occurring marijuana-like substances in human biology. It explores recent findings that point to the existence of an endocannabinoid physiological control system (EPCS) that directly impacts human development, health, and disease. While cannabinoid effects on the brain have received the greatest attention throughout the literature, this work looks at research on the endogenous cannabinoid system’s association across all of human physiology, including the immune, endocrine, and reproductive systems. With thoroughly researched and exceptionally insightful contributions from more than three-dozen top-flight researchers representing a cross-section of disciplines from molecular biology, genetics, and neurology to gynecology, physiology, and pharmacology, this work explores a range of topics as wide as the human body is complex. These topics include the EPCS’s relation to cell development and regulation, CNS function, immune function modulation, reproduction, and digestion, as well as its function in mental illness, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. The final section in the book considers the significance of endogenous cannabinoids found in some of the simplest multicellular organisms in the animal kingdom, as well as in mammalian cells at the earliest stages of development, all of which suggests that they play a fundamental role in human biology. Enocannabinoids: The Brain and Body’s Marijuana and Beyond explores areas that few books have ventured into, providing cutting-edge information that will ultimately help us better understand human biology at the systemic and perhaps even cellular level, as well as lead to the development of a whole new range of medications.

Discovery and Development of Anti-Breast Cancer Agents from Natural Products presents cutting-edge research advances in the field of bioactive natural products and natural drug formulations. This volume in the Natural Products Drug Discovery series focuses on molecules of natural origin and their synthetic analogs that show promising potential to act as anti-breast cancer and chemotherapeutic agents. Combining foundational background information on cancer mechanisms with details of medicinal structures from natural products, this volume compiles the latest developments from across interdisciplinary fields. Discovery and Development of Anti-Breast Cancer Agents from Natural Products will serve as a valuable resource for researchers working to discover promising leads for the development of novel pharmaceuticals for breast cancer, highlighting a number of key structures from natural products and exploring possible future developments in the area. Highlights active agents from natural sources for development as novel anti-cancer agents Features contributions from active researchers and leading experts working in the field Includes foundational background information on both breast cancer mechanisms and natural product structures to support researchers from different disciplines