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Toxicology of Tetrahydrocannabinol THC

Cannabis Sativa
THC
















 Cannabis is a plant that is thought to have been used by humans for over 10,000 years. Centuries old Chinese documents describe using cannabis for clothing production, food, and as an agent to comunicate with spirits. Today marijuana is the most frequently used illicit drug, and the illicit drug that new users are most likely to try.Those numbers are expected to grow as legalization is introdused in several states.Certain cannabis plants can be used for making rope or clothing; however the species Cannabis sativa is the most often used for its hallucinogenic properties. The main psychoactive alkaloid is Δ9- tetrahydrocannabinol(THC). Growing techniques have been evolved over the past 50 years, and the concentrations found in the plant have increased sa much as 20-fold during that time period.

Specific receptors in the brain, cannabinoid or CB1 receptors, were discovered in the late 1980s and found to be reactive to THC. When CB1 receptors are activated from marijuana, the effects produced include physical relaxation, hyperphagia (increased appetite), increased heart rate, decreased muscle coordination, conjuctivity, and minor pain control. Depenting on the social situation, THC can produse euphoria, followed by drowsiness and relaxation. Although hallucinations are typically not as robust as those observed with LSD use, marijuana is often used for the hallucinogenic effects that it produces.

                                                  Effects on Brain and Muscles

Marijuana stimulates the amygdala, causing the user to have a sense of novelty to anything the user encounters through an enhancement of sensory activity.For this same reason, heavy users have a down regulation in their CB1 receptors,leaving them with a feeling of boredom when not taking the drug.The effects of marijuana on γ-aminobutiric acid (GABA) in the hippocampus diminish the capacity for short-term memory in users, and these affects seem to be more pronounced in adolescents. In addition to adversely affecting short-term memory and mental activity, THC decreases muscle strength and impairs highly skilled motor activity such as that required to drive a car. The effects of THC appear immediately after the drug is smoked, but maximum effect take about 20 minutes. By 3 hours, the effects largely disappear.





Long term effects of use may include chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, increased progresion of HIV and breast cancer, and exacerbation of mental illness. Tolerance develops rapidly in users and withdrawal has been observed.Marijuana may be found in the body up to 3 months after last usage in heavy chronic users. For this reason, withdrawal occurs much later in individuals who previously used marijuana heavily. Withdrawal may include depression, pain and irritability

                                                    Synthetic Cannabinoids


Synthetic Cannabinoids are sold over the Internet or in head shops and are often known under the names "spice" and "K2". The synthetic THC-containing compounds were originally created in Germany 2008 in the hopes that they could be used for medical purposes. Since the molecular structure of synthetic cannabinoids is much different from the cannabinoids found in marijuana plants , users do not test positive for THC with traditional drug test. The effects of these designer agents may be up to 800 times greater than the effects abserved with cannebis. Sympathomimetic effects may also be seen in users, including tachycardia and hypertension. Possibly the greatest danger includes extreme hallucinations that have been reported with the use of these agents.


Source: Lippincott Illustrated Reviews Pharmacology

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