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Endocannabinoids Reduce Gastric Ulcers, Study Says
01.18.07|NORML|Weekly News Bulletin

Administration of the naturally occurring cannabinoid anandamide inhibits the development of stress-induced gastric ulcers, according to preclinical data published recently in the Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology.

Investigators at Poland's Jagiellonian University Medical College and Germany's University of Erlangen-Nuremberg reported that the administration of anandamide significantly reduced ulcers in rats in a dose-dependent manner. Researchers also noted that anandamide administration was associated with an increase in gastric mucosal blood flow. Gastric blood flow plays a primary role in protecting and healing the stomach lining.

Administration of a synthetic cannabinoid receptor antagonist aggravated gastric damage and reversed the protective effect of anandamide, investigators determined.

Investigators reported contrary results following the administration of anandamide in rats with acute pancreatitis, finding that the endocannabinoid increased the severity of the disease. Anandamide did not alter the morphology of pancreatic tissue or increase pro inflammatory serum levels in rats without the disease.

Previous preclinical research indicates that the endocannabinoid system may be an ideal therapeutic target for the treatment of various gastrointestinal (GI) disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, and colitis. Activation of this system suppresses gastrointestinal motility, reduces acid reflux, and protects against inflammation in animals, and has been demonstrated to promote healing in human tissue.

Most recently, investigators at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota reported that single doses of THC significantly reduce stomach cramping in humans compared to placebo.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at (202) 483-5500. Full text of the study, "Cannabinoids in acute gastric damage and pancreatitis," appears in the November supplemental issue of the Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. Additional information on cannabinoids and GI disorders is available in NORML's new report, "Emerging Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids," available online: http://norml.org//index.cfm?Group_ID=7002