Does Medical Marijuana Work For Crohns Disease?

Medical marijuana has developed into a treatment for painful gastrointestinal disorders that involve bowel inflammation and cramping. These diseases include colitis, Crohn’s disease, and Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Often with these diseases patients can suffer from cramping, inflammation, chronic pain, weight loss, and diarrhea. Medical marijuana is often able to alleviate these symptoms substantially.

Crohn’s disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder that involves inflammation of the bowels. Intense severe pain results and has an uknown cause while destroying the intestines. Over 500,000 Americans have Crohn’s. In the majority of states approved for medical marijuana, Crohn’s qualifies for usage.

Conventional medications utilized for Crohn’s include immunosuppressive ones such as Imuran, methotrexate, 6 MP, steroids, Mesalamine, and Remicade. These medications may cause the same symptoms as the disease including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Steroids have some side effects that may include adrenal dysfunction, bone thinning, ulcers, and glucose intolerance.

Various studies have displayed excellent results for medical marijuana helping with the symptoms of GI disorders like Crohn’s.

A study from 2005 in O’Shaughnessy’s displayed cannabis worked well to reduce Crohn’s symptoms. The study was small and done at the Society of Cannabis Clinicians in about a dozen patients. They described improvement for appetite, fatigue, vomiting, nausea, and depression. There were less exacerbations and less stools daily. Also people reduced the amount of medications for immunosuppression.

Please enter paragraphAnother study from 2001 called Cannabinoids and the Gastrointestinal Tract found that the cannabinoids found in marijuana represent a potentially excellent option for the treatment of numerous GI disorders – including inflammatory bowel diseases, functional bowel diseases, gastro-esophageal reflux conditions, secretory diarrhea, gastric ulcers, and colon cancer. There are receptors both in the brain and the GI system named CB1 receptors. In animals the study showed that agonists for these receptors delayed gastric emptying and inhibited gastric acid secretion. CB1 receptors are mostly located in the brain.

A 2006 study published in the Journal of Endocrinology Investigation demonstrates that activation of the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors exert biological functions on the gastrointestinal tract.

There are CB2 receptos in numerous cells outside of the brain – including the gastrointestinal lining. Cannabinoids in marijuana are the substances that activate the CB2 receptors. This is thought to decrease inflammation in the GI tract and decrease pain and swelling. Beta–caryophyllne is another ingredient in marijuana which turns on CB2 receptors.

Want to find out more about Arizona Medical Marijuana, then visit Arizona Medical Marijuana Certifications site on how to sign up for an medical marijuana legal Arizona card for your needs.