biotech

Marijuana Component Slows Down Alzheimer's Disease

Filed in archive Drugs, Vaccines and Therapeutics on October 10, 2006

Researchers have discovered that a component of marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can preserve the levels of acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter in the brain, and may therefore slow down the progression of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Like existing medications for AD, the compound THC acts by inhibiting the enzyme, acetylcholinesterase, which breaks down acetylcholine. THC seems to be far superior to currently approved drugs, though, as THC also prevents formation of the amyloid plaques that are a hallmark of AD and its damage to the brain.

The scientists say that THC may be a drug lead which may be used as a model to develop new and more effective therapeutics for Alzheimer's Disease.

The results of the study exploring the molecular link between marijuana and alzheimer's disease were published in ACS' Molecular Pharmaceutics.



Permalink: Marijuana Component Slows Down Alzheimer's Disease

Tags: alzheimer+disease  alzheimers  marijuana  cannabis  cannabinoids  neurobiology  biotech  marijuana+componen 

Vote for Marijuana Component Slows Down Alzheimer's Disease:

  • Currently 7.00/10
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
Rating: 7.00 out of 1 vote(s) cast.
 
Share It
RSSrss
Google google
Yahoo! yahoo
Addthis Subscribe using any feed reader!
Bloglines Bloglines
Most Popular   Best of   Biotech Hubs and Facilities   Biotech/Science Blogs   Corporate and Industrial News   Diagnostics, Methodologies and Instrumentation   Did you know   Drugs, Vaccines and Therapeutics   Energy, Environment and Ecology   Food and Agriculture   Gene Therapy   Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics   Information About   Meetings and Other Events   Microbiology   Misc   Nanomedicine   Other Biotechnology News   Patents and Intellectual Property Rights   Quick introduction   Stem Cells