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HUMAN BODY
Abstract
Cannabis, also known as marijuana, and by numerous other
names, is a preparation of the Cannabis plant intended for use
as a psychoactive or drug and as medicine. Pharmacologically,
the principal psychoactive constituent of Cannabis is
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); It is one of 483 known compounds
in the plant, including at least 84 other cannabinoids, such as
cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), tetrahydrocannabivarin
(THCV), and cannabigerol (CBG).
The effects of cannabisare caused by chemicalcompounds in
cannabis, including cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC). Cannabis has both psychological and physiological effects
on the human body. Five European Countries, Canada, and
twenty US states have legalized medical cannabis if prescribed
for nausea, pain or the alleviation of symptoms surrounding
chronic illness. Cannabis use is associated with social and
behavioral problems and carries a risk to physical and mental
health.
These effects caused by cannabis on different parts of the human
body are looked into in this project.
Cannabiniods and Cannabinoid Receptors
The most notably prevalent psychoactive substances in cannabis
are cannabinoids, most notably THC. The cannabinoid receptor
is a typical member of the largest known family of receptors
called a G protein-coupled receptor. A signature of this type or
receptor is the distinct pattern of how the receptor molecules
spans the cell membrane seven times.
Toxicity
No fatal overdoses with cannabis use have been reported as of
2010.THC, the principal psychoactive constituent of the cannabis
plant, has an extremely low toxicity and the amount that can
enter the body through the consumption of cannabis plants
poses no threat of death. The ratio of cannabis material required
to produce a fatal overdose to the amount required to saturate
cannabinoid receptors and cause intoxication is approximately
40,000:1.It was found in 2007 that while tobacco and cannabis
smoke are quite similar, cannabis smoke contained higher
amounts of ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, and nitrogen oxides,
but lower levels of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Cannabis smoke contains thousands of organic and inorganic
chemical compounds. Over fifty known carcinogens have been
identified in cannabis smoke. These include nitrosamines,
reactive aldehydes, and polycyclic hydrocarbons, including
benz[a]pyrene. Marijuana smoke was listed as a cancer agent in
California in 2009.A study identifies cannabis smoke as a
carcinogen and also finds awareness of the danger is low
compared with the high awareness of the dangers of smoking
tobacco particularly among younger users. Other observations
include possible increased risk from each cigarette; lack of
research on the effect of cannabis smoke alone; low rate of
addiction compared to tobacco; and episodic nature of cannabis
use compared to steady frequent smoking of tobacco.
Psychoactive Effects
When THC enters the blood stream and reaches the brain, it
binds to cannabinoid receptors. The endogenous ligand of these
receptors is anandamide, the effects of which THC emulates.
Thisagonism of the cannabinoid receptors results in changes in
the levels of various neurotransmitters, especially dopamine and
norepinephrine; neurotransmitters which are closely associated
with the acute effects of cannabis ingestion, such as euphoria
and anxiety. Some effects may include a general perception,
euphoria, feelings of well-being, relaxation or stress reduction,
increased appreciation of humor, music (especially discerning its
various components/instruments) or the arts, joviality,
metacognition and introspection, enhanced recollection (episodic
memory), increased sensuality, increased awareness of
sensation, increased libido and creativity. Abstract or
philosophical thinking, disruption of linear memory and paranoia
or anxiety are also typical. Anxiety is the most commonly
reported side effect of smoking marijuana. Between 20 and 30
percent of recreational users experience intense anxiety and/or
panic attacks after smoking cannabis, however, some report
anxiety only after not smoking cannabis for a prolonged period
of time.
Cannabis also produces many subjective and highly tangible
effects, such as greater enjoyment of food taste and aroma, an
enhanced enjoyment of music and comedy, and marked
distortions in the perception of time and space (where
experiencing a "rush" of ideas from the bank of long-term
memory can create the subjective impression of long elapsed
time, while a clock reveals that only a short time has passed).
At higher doses, effects can include altered body image, auditory
and/or visual illusions, pseudo-hallucinatory, and ataxia from
selective impairment of polysynaptic reflexes. In some cases,
cannabis can lead to dissociative states such as
depersonalization and derealization; such effects are most often
considered desirable, but have the potential to induce panic
attacks and paranoia in some unaccustomed users.
Somatic Effects
Some of the short-term physical effects of cannabis use include
increased heart rate, dry mouth, reddening of the eyes
(congestion of the conjunctival blood vessels), a reduction in
intra-ocular pressure, muscle relaxation and a sensation of cold
or hot hands and feet.
Neurological Effects
The areas of the brain where cannabinoid receptors are most
prevalently located are consistent with the behavioural effects
produced by cannabinoids. Brain regions in which cannabinoid
receptors are very abundant are the basal ganglia, associated
with movement control; the cerebellum, associated with body
movement coordination; the hippocampus, associated with
learning, memory, and stress control; the cerebral cortex,
associated with higher cognitive functions; and the nucleus
accumbens, regarded as the reward center of the brain. Other
regions where cannabinoid receptors are moderately
concentrated are the hypothalamus, which regulates
homeostatic functions; the amygdala, associated with emotional
responses and fears; the spinal cord, associated with peripheral
sensations like pain; the brain stem, associated with sleep,
arousal, and motor control; and the nucleus of the solitary tract,
associated with visceral sensations like nausea and vomiting.
Experiments on animal and human tissue have demonstrated a
disruption of short-term memory formation, which is consistent
with the abundance of CB1 receptors on the hippocampus, the
region of the brain most closely associated with memory.
Cannabinoids inhibit the release of several neurotransmitters in
the hippocampus such as acetylcholine, norepinephrine, and
glutamate, resulting in a major decrease in neuronal activity in
that region. This decrease in activity resembles a "temporary
hippocampal lesion."
In in-vitro experiments THC at extremely high concentrations,
which could not be reached with commonly consumed doses,
caused competitive inhibition of the AChE enzyme and inhibition
of β-amyloid peptide aggregation, implicated in the development
of Alzheimer's disease. Compared to currently approved drugs
prescribed for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, THC is a
considerably superior inhibitor of A aggregation, and this study
provides a previously unrecognized molecular mechanism
through which cannabinoid molecules may impact the
progression of this debilitating disease.
CONCLUSION:
Medical cannabis has several potential beneficial effects.
Evidence is moderate that it helps in chronic pain and muscles
spasms. Lesser evidence supports its use to help with nausea
during chemotherapy, improve appetite in those with HIV/AIDS
and also help with sleep.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states that
cannabis is unlikely to be useful as medicine as "(1) it is an
unpurified plant containing numerous chemicals with unknown
health effects; (2) it is typically consumed by smoking further
contributing to potential adverse effects; and (3) its cognitive
impairing effects may limit its utility."