Antianxiety effect of cannabis: Involvement of central benzodiazepine receptors

Bb, Sethi; Jk, Trivedi; Kumar, Pradeep; Gulati, Anil; Agarwal, Ashok; Sethi, N K

doi:10.1016/0006-3223(86)90003-x

Cited by 51 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…The above findings are consistent with the known anxiolytic, sedative and analgesic properties of cannabis (Sethi et al, 1986;Grotenhermen, 2004;Block et al, 1998). These effects are well known to the many recreational drug users who smoke cannabis after MDMA and other stimulants use in order to compensate for residual effects (Boys et al, 1997;Williamson et al, 1997;Parrott, 2001;Cole and Sumnall, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

“…In line with this hypothesis, animal research has demonstrated that cannabinoids have antioxidant, excitoxicity prevention, antiinflammatory and other potentially protective properties (Grundy, 2002;Hampson et al, 2000). Furthermore, cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychotropic constituent of cannabis, has been found to have antianxiety and antipsychotic properties (Sethi et al, 1986;Mechoulam et al, 2002;Parrott et al, 2004a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

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Pattern of cannabis use in ecstasy polydrug users: moderate cannabis use may compensate for self‐rated aggression and somatic symptoms

Milani

Parrott

Schifano

et al. 2005

Human Psychopharmacology

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Cannabis is one of the most common 'co-drugs' for ecstasy users. The aim of the present study was to explore self-reported psychobiological problems in ecstasy polydrug users in relation to their pattern of cannabis use. Two hundred and eighty ecstasy polydrug users were allocated into five cannabis groups according to the frequency of their cannabis use. The control group comprised 121 alcohol-tobacco users. There were no significant group differences with regard to age, diagnosed family psychiatric history and level of self-rated stress experienced during 6 months prior to the study. The present study produced three main findings: (a) Ecstasy users with no concomitant use of cannabis displayed more self-rated aggression and somatic symptoms compared with ecstasy users who were smoking cannabis on a monthly or weekly basis. (b) Ecstasy users who reported heavy cannabis use in the past displayed higher paranoid symptoms compared with ecstasy weekly and daily cannabis users. (c) Former heavy cannabis users were the most likely to complain of a variety of ecstasy related long-term problems. In conclusion, moderate cannabis use may help to ameliorate or mask MDMA-induced aggressivity and somatic symptoms. However, this study confirms that heavy cannabis and ecstasy use is associated with several psychobiological problems, which may emerge after a period of abstinence from both drugs.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Pattern of cannabis use in ecstasy polydrug users: moderate cannabis use may compensate for self‐rated aggression and somatic symptoms

Milani

Parrott

Schifano

et al. 2005

Human Psychopharmacology

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“…19 Some authors have observed that chronic activation of cannabinoid (CB) receptor type-1 by cannabis may reduce PRL and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, probably via interaction with the GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptor activation. 20,21 Activation of the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal axis seems to occur after an acute response to inhalative cannabinoids. 22 However, in chronic consumers a reduction of cortisol response after insulinic stress has been shown, thus suggesting different pathophysiological mechanisms.…”

Section: Endothelial Dysfunction In Erectile Dysfunction a Aversa Et Almentioning

confidence: 99%

Early endothelial dysfunction as a marker of vasculogenic erectile dysfunction in young habitual cannabis users

et al. 2008

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Aim of the study was to evaluate whether endothelial dysfunction is a marker of erectile dysfunction (ED) in recreational drug abuse. Sixty-four non-consecutive men complaining of ED from at least 3 months were included. All patients underwent detailed history about recreational drug abuse and were then submitted to dynamic penile duplex ultrasound (PDU). According to pharmaco-stimulated peak systolic velocity (PSV) cutoff at 35 cm s À1 , patients were divided into two groups: organic (O; n ¼ 30) and non-organic (NO; n ¼ 34) ED. All subjects and 7 healthy age-matched subjects as controls, underwent veno-occlusive plethysmography (VOP) for the evaluation of endothelium-dependent dilatation of brachial arteries. Blood pressure, total and free testosterone, prolactin, estradiol, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were also evaluated; patients were classified with regard to insulin resistance through the HOMA-IR index. Cannabis smoking was more frequent in O-ED vs NO-ED (78% vs 3%, Po0.001) in the absence of any concomitant risk factor or comorbidity for ED. VOP studies revealed impaired endotheliumdependent vasodilatation in O-ED but not in NO-ED and controls (12±6 vs 32±4 and 34 ± 5 ml min À1 , respectively; P ¼ 0.003). Overall patients showed a direct relationship between HOMA-IR and PSV (r 2 ¼ 0.47, Po0.0001), which was maintained in men with organic ED (r 2 ¼ 0.62, Po0.0001). In cannabis consumers, a direct relationship between HOMA-IR and VOP was also found (r 2 ¼ 0.74, Po0.0001). Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that VOP values below 17.22 ml min À1 were suggestive for vasculogenic ED. We conclude that early endothelial damage may be induced by chronic cannabis use (and endocannabinoid system activation); insulin resistance may be the hallmark of early endothelial dysfunction and may concur to determine vascular ED in the absence of obesity. Further studies are warranted to establish a direct relationship between cannabis abuse, onset of insulin resistance and development of vascular ED.

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“…One function that has been identified for the central cannabinoid system is its role in the regulation of anxiety and fear learning in animals (Haller et al, 2002;Marsicano et al, 2002;Martin et al, 2002;Chhatwal et al, 2005;Viveros et al, 2005). In humans, ingestion of ⌬ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis and a selective cannabinoid receptor (CB 1 ) agonist, modulates subjective anxiety (Sethi et al, 1986;Wachtel et al, 2002;D'Souza et al, 2004). CB 1 receptors are expressed in high levels in the amygdala, a region strongly linked with fear responses (Katona et al, 2001;Pistis et al, 2004), and thus could account for the striking effects of THC on emotion in both nonhuman models and in humans.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cannabinoid Modulation of Amygdala Reactivity to Social Signals of Threat in Humans

Phan¹,

Angstadt²,

Golden³

et al. 2008

J. Neurosci.

226

186

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The cannabinoid (CB) system is a key neurochemical mediator of anxiety and fear learning in both animals and humans. The anxiolytic effects of ⌬ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, are believed to be mediated through direct and selective agonism of CB 1 receptors localized within the basolateral amygdala, a critical brain region for threat perception. However, little is known about the effects of THC on amygdala reactivity in humans. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging and a well validated task to probe amygdala responses to threat signals in 16 healthy, recreational cannabis users after a double-blind crossover administration of THC or placebo. We found that THC significantly reduced amygdala reactivity to social signals of threat but did not affect activity in primary visual and motor cortex. The current findings fit well with the notion that THC and other cannabinoids may have an anxiolytic role in central mechanisms of fear behaviors and provide a rationale for exploring novel therapeutic strategies that target the cannabinoid system for disorders of anxiety and social fear.

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Antianxiety effect of cannabis: Involvement of central benzodiazepine receptors

Cited by 51 publications

References 20 publications

Pattern of cannabis use in ecstasy polydrug users: moderate cannabis use may compensate for self‐rated aggression and somatic symptoms

Pattern of cannabis use in ecstasy polydrug users: moderate cannabis use may compensate for self‐rated aggression and somatic symptoms

Early endothelial dysfunction as a marker of vasculogenic erectile dysfunction in young habitual cannabis users

Cannabinoid Modulation of Amygdala Reactivity to Social Signals of Threat in Humans

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