The Effects of Marijuana on the Body

June 30, 2015

The Effects of Marijuana on the Body: Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

The Effects of Marijuana on the Body can be very fatal. Look at the ruptured lungs of one seriously into marijuana smoking! It is very disturbing

Having the knowledge about the effects of marijuana on the body is very important not just to the addicts but also the family friends and relatives. With such information, individuals can take the right precautions in good time to avoid occurrence of serious health complications. I know that you may be wondering where to get such valuable health information, and I want to inform you that you are at the right place where you will meet great experts in their own right. I am making reference to the experts and professionals at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury’s care. You can therefore be the first to know with the experts by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today and your life will never be the same again.

Now to start us off on the discussion, doctor Akoury says that marijuana originates from the Cannabis plant. Besides the roots nearly every other part of the plant is used by its users. However before it is ready for consumption, it has to be prepared meaning that its flowers, seeds, leave, and stems must be shredded and dried before they can be useful. According to doctor Akoury, the most common means of administering this drug into the body system is through smoking; however it can also be mixed into food, brewed into tea, or even used in a vaporizer. Remember that marijuana has quite a number of ingredients that affects the normal functionalities of the body but one of its major ingredients is a mind-altering chemical called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). We will be making a lot of references about this as we progress into the discussion. Now experts have established that when you inhale marijuana smoke into your lungs, it is quickly released into your bloodstream which will act as its vehicle transporting it right away into your brain and other body organs. This journey is always a little bit faster when the substance is smoked however it will take a little longer to be absorbed when you eat or drink it.

It is also very important to note that the effects of marijuana on the body are immediate. Longer-term effects may depend on how you take it, how much you take, and how often you use it. Nevertheless a lot is being done about this substance and even though it is an illegal drug in many states across the globe, like in the US, this position is causing conducting large-scale studies to be very difficult to manage. Nevertheless in the recent years, the medicinal properties of marijuana are gaining acceptance in mainstream America. And in fact medical marijuana is now legal in 23 states and the District of Columbia. With THC and another ingredient called cannabidol (CBD) being the main substances of therapeutic interest. However it is important to note that the National Institutes of Health-funded research into the possible medicinal uses of THC and CBD is ongoing and it will be interesting to get there findings when the study is concluded.

The Effects of Marijuana on the Body: Respiratory System

The respiratory system of human beings is one such sensitive aspect of life. Anything affecting in the negative way literally brings down ones health to its knees. And therefore marijuana just like cigarette smoking produces intoxicated smoke loaded with a variety of toxic chemicals. These chemicals can be very irritating to the bronchial passages and even extends to the lungs. It therefore means that with this degree of irritation, anybody addicted to regular and intensive smoking of marijuana will most likely suffer coughing, wheezing and produce phlegm in the process. With such happenings, such users will be at increased risk of bronchitis and lung infections, and besides that it is worth noting that marijuana use may also exacerbate the prevailing respiratory illnesses like asthma and cystic fibrosis. In her submission, doctor Akoury also says that marijuana smoke is very rich in carcinogens, meaning that with constant abuse it can potentially raise ones risk of developing lung cancer. However, and this is very important, studies on the subject have had mixed results. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), there is no conclusive evidence that marijuana smoke causes lung cancer. It therefore means that a lot more research needs to be done to have a conclusive scientific statement about this.

The Effects of Marijuana on the Body: Circulatory System

With the use of marijuana, the circulatory system is one of the biggest casualties. This is because THC moves very fast from your lungs into your bloodstream and throughout your body. Within minutes, your heart rate may increase by 20 to 50 beats per minute and that is according to the NIDA findings. And remember that with this, the rapid heartbeat can continue for up to three hours. For people with heart disease, this faster heartbeat could raise the risk of heart attack and you can just imagine how fatal that can be. And just to bring you up to speed with some signs of marijuana use, it is worth noting that one of the revealing signs of recent marijuana use is bloodshot eyes. They look red because marijuana causes blood vessels in the eyes to expand or dilate. Marijuana may help stop the growth of blood vessels that feed cancerous tumors.

Ideally from the discussion so far it is very evident that the effects of marijuana on the body are not anything to be treated with contempt. This is something that we are going to be following for you from time to time so that this link can become your first one stop clinic for all matters relating to health and substance abuse. As we progress into this discussion in the next article, doctor Akoury will be shedding more light about the effects of marijuana on the body and particularly in relation to:

This is definitely something you don’t want to miss on so I want to take this earliest opportunity to request you to stay on the link and also to invite a friend so that we can all pool together in the fight against this vice of marijuana addiction and its effects to human health. But in the mean time I know that this article will not be conclusive if I don’t offer you solutions about all these effects and I promise I will not disappoint. All the solutions you need are rested at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. This facility was formed by doctor Dalal Akoury primarily to give her contribution in the transformation of each and every individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. This is one experience that you don’t want to be left out on. Remember that Dr. Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. What that means is that this is the home of all addiction related solutions and you are welcomed to associate with it for the benefit of your health and that of your family, friends and relatives.

The Effects of Marijuana on the Body: Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reduce Inflammation

February 26, 2015

Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reduce Inflammation modulates Regulatory T Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Mesenchymal stem cells are a rare type of cells that are multi-potent and can be isolated from the adipose tissues, bone marrow among other crucial sources. These cells have very unique properties that have seen them become targets of very many medical therapies especially in treating degenerative diseases like aging and even joint diseases like arthritis. These cells have been found to be also very effective in modulating the functions of immune cells, including T cells, B cells, natural killer cells, monocyte or macrophages, dendritic cells, and neutrophils. T cells, activated to perform a range of different effector functions, are the primary mediators of many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases as well as of transplant rejection and graft-versus-host disease. Some of the well-defined T-Cell effector cells include; CD4+ (T helper cell) subsets Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes which are derived from antigen-specific activation of simple CD8+ precursors. In addition, naturally occurring and induced regulatory T cells represent CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell phenotypes that potently suppress effector T cells to prevent autoimmunity, maintain self-tolerance, and limit inflammatory tissue injury. The ability of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells to suppress the effector T-Cells and limit inflammation has made them very effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis which is characterized with inflammations around the joints. Typically, many immune-mediated diseases entail an imbalance between regulatory T cells and effector T cells of one or more phenotypes. Mesenchymal Stem Cells broadly suppress T-cell activation and proliferation in a controlled environment outside of a living organism via (Vitro) a plethora of soluble and cell contact-dependent mediators. These mediators may work in two ways; first they can work directly on T cells or indirectly via modulation of antigen-presenting cells and other accessory cells. Mesenchymal Stem Cells administration has also been shown to be variably associated with beneficial effects in autoimmune and transplant models as well as in several human clinical trials. However, in a small number of studies Mesenchymal Stem Cells administration has been found to heighten T cell-mediated tissue injury. The multiple effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on cellular immunity may reflect their diverse influences on the different T-cell effector subpopulations and their capacity to specifically protect or induce regulatory T-cell populations.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cell modulation of T cell-mediated immune responses

To repeat for emphasis, the T cells are the primary cellular effectors of the adaptive immune system and their functional properties are central to antigen specificity and memory associated with cognate immunity, this therefore means that to a greater extent they are responsible for rejection of implanted cells of varied specificity. Antigen-specific activation and differentiation of naïve T cells result in the generation of a range of T-cell phenotypes that may be defined by the acquisition of characteristic cytokine secretion profiles, cytolytic mechanisms, or counter-regulatory properties.

Following antigen-specific adaptive immune responses, a small proportion of activated T cells persist as memory cells and have the capacity to respond more rapidly and potently to secondary encounters with the same antigen. These memory cells may retain the effector phenotype imprinted upon them during primary activation. When these memory cells are appropriately coordinated and regulated, the diversity of T-cell effector phenotypes allows immune protection against a multitude of pathogenic microorganisms while maintaining self-tolerance and homeostasis. On the other hand, over exuberant pro-inflammatory T-cell responses may lead to auto-immune and allergic diseases, including multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and asthma. Therefore it is crucial to have a modulatory strategy on the effector T-cells. Furthermore, life-saving treatments such as allogeneic bone marrow and solid organ transplantation may be complicated by alloantigen-specific T-cell immune responses, resulting in graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) or transplant rejection.

Study finding

Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Inflammation In a research study done at School of Medicine, University of Seville, Seville, Spain by Gonzalez-Rey E, Gonzalez MA, Varela N, O’Valle F, Hernandez-Cortes P, Rico L, Büscher D, and Delgado M it was found that human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells suppressed the antigen-specific response of T cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells inhibited the proliferative response and the production of inflammatory cytokines by collagen-activated CD4 and CD8 T cells. On the contrary, the numbers of IL10-producing T cells and monocytes were significantly augmented upon human adipose stem cell treatment. The suppressive activity of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells was cell-to-cell contact dependent and independent. Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells also stimulated the generation of FoxP3 protein-expressing CD4 (+) CD25 (+) regulatory T cells, with the capacity to suppress collagen-specific T cell responses. Lastly, human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells down regulated the inflammatory response and the production of matrix-degrading enzymes by synovial cells isolated from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The study had sought to find out the immunosuppressive activity of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells on collagen-reactive T cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The method used involved investigating the effects of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells on collagen-reactive RA human T cell proliferation and cytokine production as well as effects on the production of inflammatory mediators by monocytes and fibroblast-like synoviocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Stem cell therapy is a promising approach to treatment of degenerative diseases like arthritis but still you will need an expert in degenerative medicine. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) an expert in integrative and regenerative medicine will be able to help. Visit us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina