Brain's Marijuana-like Chemicals Postpone Pain

[merwin]

Brain's Marijuana-like Chemicals Postpone Pain

Wed Jun 22,11:47 PM ET

WEDNESDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- Experts have long known that the brain has the ability to suspend the pain response in times of injury and great stress, even after traumatic incidents such as gunshot wounds.

Now, a new study in rats suggests marijuana-like neurochemicals called endocannabinoids may be key to this process.

The discovery may lead to a new class of painkillers with fewer side effects than existing pain medications, report researchers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). Their study appears in the June 23 issue of Nature.

"This study shows for the first time that natural marijuana-like chemicals in the brain have a link to pain suppression," researcher Daniele Piomelli, a professor of pharmacology and director of the Center for Drug Discovery at the UCI School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement.

Stress can provide a delayed pain reaction in certain situations, an effect called stress-induced analgesia. Previous research has identified two kinds of stress-induced analgesia mechanisms in the body -- opioid and non-opioid. This study is the first to offer evidence that the non-opioid form is produced by cannabinoid compounds.
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All I have to say is: Why the hell do you think doctors are prescribing marijuana for pain?!?!? This isn't anything new.

[Sandpiper]

1. But...but...prescribing marijuana sends the wrong message to kids

The message that it's wrong to ease the suffering of people in unrelenting pain.

:crazy:

[Canuckistanian]

2. Your own brain is a gateway drug!

That's probably why Republicans had their brains removed.

[WhiteTara]

10. LOL Too Funny

You just made my day
:applause: :rofl:

[shadowknows69]

3. works just as well as tylenol for me

but I have to trust something endorsed by the FDA instead of mother nature because pot is bad mmmkay? Mother nature has a better record than the FDA.

[daleo]

4. If only these cannabinoids could be produced somehow

Perhaps in plant form...

[jimshoes]

5. I'm guessing in 6 months

some big pharma will patent a weed based painkiller.

[Kraklen]

7. THC was approved 15 years ago by the FDA.

for human medication.

Years of study, like any other drug approved by the FDA. For treatment of nausea and glaucoma.

Side effects include: increased appetite, bloodshot eyes, mild euphoria.

Nothing at all about decreased fertility or brain damage.

[TrogL]

6. Where have they been?

My partner's been on medical marijuana for ages.

He explained all this to me word for word (including the big ones) five years ago.

[Bruce McAuley]

8. You mean like you FORGET the pain...?

That's what my wife reports and she has pretty debilitating fibromyalgia pain at times. For myself, since I normally have no pain, it's just the forgetting. Like who our president is for short periods of time.
LOL
We've personally known this for years also.

Bruce

[mom cat]

9. Go drag those cancer patients to jail!..... I only hope that someday

they hurt real bad and can't get anything to relieve the pain.