Inheritance of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol seizure susceptibility in rabbits

Abstract

Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major psychoactive ingredient of marijuana, causes nonfatal convulsions in rabbits of a closed colony of New Zealand White rabbits (Uaz: NZW). The convulsive phenotype appears to be associated with homozygous expression of a single autosomal recessive gene with full penetrance. We propose the symbol thc for the gene responsible for this condition. We also propose that this closed colony of New Zealand White rabbits at the University of Arizona, in which the thc gene is segragating, be designated Uaz:NZW-thc.

Cannabidiol in the Treatment of Epilepsy: A Focused Review of Evidence and Gaps

“…Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are two of the most prominent cannabinoids found in the Cannabis plant (3). THC is responsible for the psychoactive effects of marijuana, but studies on its effects on epilepsy have shown conflicting results (13)(14)(15)(16). THC binds to type 1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1) present in the basal ganglia, cerebellum, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and limbic system.…”

The Endocannabinoid System as an Emerging Target of Pharmacotherapy

“…As in human studies, cannabinoids were found to exert both anti-and proconvulsive activity in animal models of epilepsy, largely depending on the stimulus applied to induce seizures (chemical, electrical, light, or fever) and the species used (Johnson et al, 1975;Ten Ham et al, 1975;Wada et al, 1975a,b;Corcoran et al, 1978;Chiu et al, 1979;Duncan and Dagirmanjian, 1979;Fish et al, 1981;Karler and Turkanis, 1981;Colasanti et al, 1982;Fish and Consroe, 1983;Karler et al, 1984Karler et al, , 1986Consroe and Mechoulam, 1987;Pertwee et al, 1991;Hayase et al, 2001a,b;reviewed in Gordon and Devinsky, 2001;Lutz, 2004).…”

The ontogeny of delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol responsiveness in the rabbit

“…Additionally, nonpsychoactive cannabinoids and noncannabinoid psychoactive agents, including the typical hallucinogens, do not induce convulsions in these rabbits (Consroe & Fish, 1980bMartin & Consroe, 1976), nor do visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli that are known to provoke convulsions in other rabbits andlor other species (Fish, Consroe, & Fox, 1980;Ross, Sawin, Denenberg, & Volow, 1963;Wada, Osawa, & Corcoran, 1975;Watanabe, Schain, & Bailey, 1978). While typical convulsants (e.g., picrotoxin and pentylenetetrazol) produce behavioral convulsions in the THC-SS rabbits, the convulsive endpoints are not identical to the THC-induced behavioral response ; also, in contrast to THC, administration of these convulsants causes convulsions in both THC-SS and THCseizure-resistant (SR) rabbits (Fish & Consroe, unpublished results).…”