Cannabis & Crohn’s Disease: The Potential for Relief

Monday, June 02, 2014 SPORK! 0 Comments

It is commonly known that cannabis provides relief for stomach troubles, but to what extent?  Intestinal troubles and digestive issues can be serious medical conditions that are especially difficult to treat.  Recently conducted studies have shown that medical marijuana may be a potential treatment for Crohn’s disease.  There have been many anecdotal reports suggesting that medical marijuana is an aid to Crohn’s disease sufferers, but with the recent issue of Pharmacology, new information has come to light.“Cannabis Finds Its Way into Treatment of Crohn’s Disease” is a research study from Dr. Rudolf Schicho at the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, located at the Medical University of Graz in Austria.

This prospective, placebo-controlled study has shown that cannabis produces notable clinical benefits for patients suffering with Crohn’s disease.  Although the mechanisms by which this relief occurs are not yet 100% clear, it is most likely that the cannabinoid receptors are being acted on either centrally or peripherally.

Just what exactly is Crohn’s disease? It is a form of inflammatory bowel disease that is characterized as a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.  It generally affects the end of the small bowel and the beginning of the colon.  Excessive bowel activity, bleeding, cramps and pain are all symptoms of Crohn’s disease.  However, a medical doctor is required to provide certain diagnosis.  As a chronic disease, it is known for “flaring,” times when the disease symptoms will be worse, followed by periods of remission where symptoms may not be noticeable.  There are other inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome) with similar symptoms, but affecting different areas of the gastrointestinal tract.

Read the full article at CannLabs 

(http://www.cannlabs.com/blog/cannabis-crohns-disease-potential-relief/)