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Cannabis Receptor System Offers Novel Target For Osteoporosis Treatment, Study Says
08-09-07|NORML

The endocannabinoid system plays a significant role in skeletal remodeling (the process whereby old bone is removed and new bone is added) and is an ideal target for anti-osteoporotic drug development, according to a forthcoming review to be published in the journal Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

Investigators at the Bone Laboratory of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem report that the activation of the CB2 cannabinoid receptor reduces experimentally-induced bone loss and stimulates bone formation. "A therapy based on synthetic CB2 agonists is a promising novel target for anti-osteoporotic drug development," they conclude.

Investigators had previously reported that mice deficient in CB2 receptors exhibit markedly accelerated age-related bone loss (osteoporosis).

Osteoporosis is a degenerative skeletal disease characterized by a deterioration of bone tissue.† Approximately 10 million Americans over age 50 suffer from osteoporosis and another 34 million are at risk for developing the disease.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at: paul@norml.org

Full text of the study, "Regulation of Skeletal Remodeling by the Endocannabinoid Sytem," will appear in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Additional information on cannabis and osteoporosis is available in NORML’s booklet, "Emerging Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids," available online at: Recent Research on Medical Marijuana - NORML

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