Pain-Reducing Effects of Cannabis Depend on Dose

[superjoint]

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Although smoking "moderate" doses of cannabis helps reduce pain in healthy research volunteers, pain is actually increased at high doses according to a new study featured in the November issue of the journal Anesthesiology. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


Newswise — Although smoking "moderate" doses of cannabis helps reduce pain in healthy research volunteers, pain is actually increased at high doses.
The November issue of the journal Anesthesiology features a study showing that marijuana, or cannabis, reduces pain only within a narrow dose range. "Our study suggests that there is a therapeutic window for analgesia, with low doses being ineffective, medium doses resulting in pain relief, and high doses increasing pain," comments lead author Dr. Mark S. Wallace of University of California, San Diego.

Dr. Wallace and colleagues evaluated the effects of smoking cannabis on pain responses in 15 healthy volunteers. On different days, the research subjects smoked low, medium, or high doses of cannabis (based on the content of 9-delta-tetrahydrocannabinol [THC], the main active chemical in cannabis), or an inactive placebo. Pain was induced by injecting capsaicin, the "hot" chemical found in chili peppers, into the skin. Capsaicin injection is a standard technique used in pain studies.

Five minutes after smoking, none of the three doses of cannabis had any effect on pain responses to capsaicin. However, 45 minutes after smoking the moderate dose of cannabis, pain was significantly reduced—approximately six points lower on a 100-point scale, compared with the inactive placebo.

In contrast, 45 minutes after smoking the high dose of cannabis, pain scores were increased—about eight points higher than with placebo.

The low dose of cannabis had no effect on pain scores. None of the three doses affected the extent of secondary hyperalgesia—that is, the spread of pain beyond the area injected with capsaicin.

Levels of THC measured in the blood were significantly related to reduced pain scores at the moderate dose of cannabis, but not to the increase in pain with high-dose cannabis. The volunteers' sense of feeling "high" increased with each dose of cannabis, even though the pain-relieving effects did not.

Research has suggested that the active components of cannabis might have pain-reducing effects, but few studies have actually looked at how cannabis affects pain in humans. "With several states having passed laws legalizing the medical use of cannabis, there has been a call for more research on medicinal cannabis," says Dr. Wallace. "The Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research received a large grant from the State of California to investigate the medicinal use of cannabis, and this is one of the many studies that were funded through the Center. The research arising from the Center can provide an evidence basis for deciding the appropriate use of cannabis and related compounds as medicines."

The results are an important addition to research on the pain-relieving potential of cannabis. "This is the first study using different doses of cannabis and a tightly controlled pain stimulus that suggests that cannabis has a therapeutic window of pain relief," adds Dr. Wallace. Although the researchers were surprised at the delayed analgesic effect of cannabis, the increase in pain with high-dose cannabis is consistent with earlier studies.

Dr. Wallace and colleagues call for further research, including studies of the clinical value of the pain-reducing effects. Pending more information on this and other issues, including the potential for abuse and safety issues of inhaled cannabis, the researchers conclude, "We cannot recommend advocate a place for using cannabis in the treatment armamentarium at this time."

For additional information on this study, go to http://www.anesthesiology.org

Founded in 1905, the American Society of Anesthesiologists is an educational, research and scientific association with 41,000 members organized to raise and maintain the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology and improve the care of the patient.

Visit our Web site at http://www.asahq.org.

[coolrunnings]

Thats really interesting.
I love how research keeps revealing more and more information.

In a way, this could be a great strive towards an overall legalization/decriminalization due to the fact that conspiricies claim marijuana is addictive so proving that moderate doses help pain while higher doses increase it could prove that patients wont abuse the drugs such as some do with Percs or OC's.

Great write up.

[chiefMOJOrisin]

that totally makes perfect sense. I have chronic back pain due to a car accident 5+ years ago. Its progressed enough that I no longer take prescription pain meds, but I still need to take me some aleeve quite often.

I don't smoke herb strictly medicinal purposes and I have no prescription for it. Nonetheless, I am a pothead and I smoke several times a day so I can judge the medicinal effects of cannabis. I do know for a fact that I would not eat if I didn't smoke herb. I take methadone daily for my idoit fuckins mistakes and it drastically depleates my appetite. If I have a snack before I go to bed at..say..10pm...I fall asleep at 12.... I wake up at 6 for work..... if I hadn't smoked I won't get hungry until atleast 2 pm. Even then, my body just doesn't want to eat.... I'll deal with the minor hunger for hours until I eventually eat like an apple or something 4pm. But if I smoke on the other hand... WOW. Lets say the above scenario is in effect and I haven't eaten since 10pm the night before and I smoke a bowl at noon.... after 2 hits I will become unbarably hungry. Hunger pains like no one should experience.....then I eat a shit load.

I notice that when I smoke, my back pain goes through different levels. If I smoke a little, or its in the beginnig of a session the bud does very little for the pain. As I get a little bakeder the pain slowly flows away...and my hunger rushes in. However when I get really stoned my pain is normal, if not worse. I've always thought it was because when I'm realy stoned I over think everything. I'm sure most people do too...but I think that subconsciencely and consciencely I focus on my back pain which causes a kind of placebo effect.


Weed is great. Especially the outdoors I've been smoking.....Jerry Berry for all!!!!

[Medicine Al]

I've been telling people for years that less is more when it comes to medi-cannabis, overuse is a waste unless you are in an overwhelming amount of pain. I love these guys in San Diego, I hope their research continues, outside of the fire zones down there.

[socca]

i swear this is true
i used to get so blazed during summer with this kid but we'd have to sneak out his house and chill on this little concrete block so wed have to sit indian style.. and wed always get a gram or 2 of DANK bud split between us and rip it out his greenstar, wed get REALLY blazed and my back would hurt INTENSELY from sitting like that.. when it would never hurt that bad sober

this research is true

I am on methadone as well because i got hooked on oxycontin real bad. I have to smoke reefer all the time to be hungry as well....

Andrew

Originally Posted by socca

i swear this is true
i used to get so blazed during summer with this kid but we'd have to sneak out his house and chill on this little concrete block so wed have to sit indian style.. and wed always get a gram or 2 of DANK bud split between us and rip it out his greenstar, wed get REALLY blazed and my back would hurt INTENSELY from sitting like that.. when it would never hurt that bad sober

this research is true

thats retarted

[chiefMOJOrisin]

Originally Posted by AndrewBud

I am on methadone as well because i got hooked on oxycontin real bad. I have to smoke reefer all the time to be hungry as well....

Andrew

thats funny....not everone I know on the program lost their appetite like I did.... and u.

Its a good thing u got on the program before ur habit evolved. I started out with perks and vikes...then pekrs and vikes mixed with benzos....the oxycontin...then sniffin deisel....then shootin deisel....then i was fucked.


if i didn't smoke its not too farfetched to sy I might be dead

[amsterdamage]

Originally Posted by chiefMOJOrisin

thats funny....not everone I know on the program lost their appetite like I did.... and u.

Its a good thing u got on the program before ur habit evolved. I started out with perks and vikes...then pekrs and vikes mixed with benzos....the oxycontin...then sniffin deisel....then shootin deisel....then i was fucked.


if i didn't smoke its not too farfetched to sy I might be dead

so much for the gateway theory, i think the government lied to us


Cannabis is a gift from God