THE RESURGENCE OF CBD AND CANNABINOIDS AS MEDICAL REMEDIES
Approximately a century after the pioneering work of William Brooke O’Shaughnessy, the development of advanced research techniques and technology made possible a comprehensive study of hemp and its compounds. In 1940, British chemist Robert S. Cahn identified the structure of a cannabinoid, which today we refer to as Cannabinol or CBD. Two years later, American chemist Robert Adams successfully isolated the first cannabinoid. Although rudimentary by 21st century standards, this pioneering work made CBD as we understand it today possible.
This early research had its limitations. Scientists had only limited knowledge of the structure of cannabinoids. Their understanding of the biological composition of the CBD plant was restricted and, as a result, they could not reliably predict which compound was causing a particular effect.
A breakthrough came in 1963 when Dr. Raphael Mechoulam successfully identified the stereochemistry of CBD. A year later, Mechoulam identified the stereochemistry of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is the component of hemp that causes the user to become “stoned” or euphoric. Having successfully isolated the intoxicating element, CBD was disassociated from this aspect of hemp use.
This finding would have implications for its use as a medicinal substance. In the 1980s, Dr. Mechoulam and his research team conducted a study on CBD use as a treatment for epilepsy, echoing the records of Islamic scholars from centuries past. The study found that after four months of a daily dose of CBD, half of the participants stopped experiencing seizures altogether.
Mechoulam and his team continued their work throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s. In 1988, the first cannabinoid receptor was found in the rat brain. In 1993, a second cannabinoid receptor was discovered, located throughout the immune system and peripheral tissues. As research continued, it was discovered that these receptors existed in the brains of many different animals, including humans, and interacted exclusively with compounds found in hemp. While this did not prove that cannabinoids could have a positive medical impact on our health and well-being, it appeared that our body’s design interacts with cannabinoids.
CBD TODAY
Since the late 1990s, research has been ongoing on the endocannabinoid system with amazing results. While much is still unknown, today we have a more complete picture of how CBD interacts with and affects our bodies. During the 1990s, a series of legislative changes began in the United States that made medical research on CBD increasingly possible.
In the U.S., California passed Proposition 215, also known as the Compassionate Use Act, in 1996, becoming the first state to legalize the medical use of hemp. Seven other states soon followed. In those states, patients with various conditions were now able to use medical hemp, allowing researchers to expand the scope of their research.
While scientists increasingly came to understand the positive role CBD could play in the treatment of various conditions, the public and policymakers lagged behind. That slowly began to change as people who had benefited from CBD began to tell their stories.
One of the most striking is the story of Charlotte Figi, who was born in Colorada in 2006 with a very rare and debilitating type of epilepsy called Dravet syndrome. At the age of four, Charlotte experienced approximately 300 seizures per week and had lost the ability to speak, walk and eat. After trying everything modern medicine could think of but with little effect, her parents hesitantly tried.
CBD oil. The results were incredible, with Charlotte now only experiencing 2 or 3 seizures a month and most of her normal functions returning. This amazing case prompted further research into the benefits of CBD therapies. In the UK, a hemp-based drug, Epidolex, is now issued by the NHS for the treatment of severe epileptic conditions that would otherwise be difficult to treat.
The body of research on CBD Oil Medical benefits continues to grow as more people experience the benefits of CBD for themselves. Interest in CBD as a treatment for epilepsy, along with its potential to treat other neuropsychiatric disorders. Research lags behind the experience of CBD oil users and, with each passing year, sales of CBD products grow worldwide.
A comprehensive body of research by the World Health Organization in 2018 found no public health risks associated with CBD oil. Instead, CBD offers many potential medical applications and benefits. It has been a long and complicated history. CBD oil is finally achieving widespread recognition as a treatment for an increasing range of health conditions ( 5% CBD and 10% CBD Oils are the most widely used forms of CBD oil).
Where to buy the best products for arthritis? Please visit their page for more info.
