PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Drugs related to cannabis have pain-relieving potential for osteoarthritis

2014-01-07
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Tim Utton
tim.utton@nottingham.ac.uk
44-011-584-68092
University of Nottingham
Drugs related to cannabis have pain-relieving potential for osteoarthritis Chemical compounds synthesised in the laboratory, similar to those found in cannabis, could be developed as potential drugs to reduce the pain of osteoarthritis.

These compounds could also reduce joint inflammation, according to new research carried out at the Arthritis Research UK Pain Centre at The University of Nottingham.

Cannabis contains a number of natural chemicals called cannabinoids and the brain has the ability to respond to such compounds. Cannabis and synthetically manufactured cannabinoid compounds can relieve pain in animal models of arthritis, but their use has been limited because of undesirable psychological side-effects.

Now a team of researchers led by Professor Victoria Chapman at the Arthritis Research UK Pain Centre at The University of Nottingham have shown that selectively targeting one of the molecules involved in the body's natural pain-sensing pathways, called cannabinoid receptor2 (CB2) can also reduce pain in animal models of osteoarthritis. This works in part through the central nervous system (spinal cord and brain). The compound used in this study, called JWH133, is a synthetic cannabinoid molecule manufactured in a laboratory and is not derived from the cannabis plant.

When the research was extended to humans, studies of the human spinal cord tissue showed for the first time the presence of this receptor and, interestingly, that the amount of receptor was related to the severity of the osteoarthritis. This provides evidence from patients that this drug target may have clinical relevance to osteoarthritis pain.

Cannabinoids are known to have anti-inflammatory effects, and the team have demonstrated that JWH133 reduced the levels of inflammation in their studies of osteoarthritis. Thus, cannabinoid CB2 targeted drugs may have a dual beneficial effect for people with osteoarthritis by providing pain relief as well as reducing inflammation in the joint.

Their findings are published online in the journal PLOS One.

Victoria Chapman, Professor of Neuropharmacology, said: "This finding is significant, as spinal and brain pain signalling pathways are known to make a major contribution to pain associated with osteoarthritis. These new data support the further evaluation of the selective cannabinoid-based interventions for the treatment of osteoarthritis pain."

Professor Alan Silman, medical director of Arthritis Research UK, added: "Millions of people are living with the severe, debilitating pain caused by osteoarthritis, and better pain relief is urgently needed. This research does not support the use of recreational cannabis use. What it does suggest is that there is potential to develop a synthetic drug that mimics the behaviour of cannabinoid receptors without causing serious side effects."

Osteoarthritis affects eight million people the UK and occurs when the cartilage at the ends of bones wears away, causing joint pain and stiffness, and is a major cause of pain and disability. Current treatment is limited to pain relief, exercise, physiotherapy weight-loss and joint replacement. There are currently no drugs that slow down its progression, and more effective treatment is urgently needed.

### END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New holographic process uses image-stabilized X-ray camera

2014-01-07
New holographic process uses image-stabilized X-ray camera This news release is available in German. The efficiency of the new method is based on a X-ray focussing optics being firmly fixed to the object to ...

First dinosaurs identified from Saudi Arabia

2014-01-07
First dinosaurs identified from Saudi Arabia Dinosaur fossils are exceptionally rare in the Arabian Peninsula. An international team of scientists from Uppsala University, Museum Victoria, Monash University, and the Saudi Geological Survey have now uncovered the ...

Scientists discover new causes of diabetes

2014-01-07
Scientists discover new causes of diabetes Research by the University of Exeter Medical School has revealed two new genetic causes of neonatal diabetes. The research provides further insights on how the insulin-producing beta cells are formed in the pancreas Research ...

New phone alerts for extreme weather may prevent casualties in India

2014-01-07
New phone alerts for extreme weather may prevent casualties in India When Cyclone Phailin hit India in late 2013 it became the largest storm to batter the subcontinent in over a decade. The storm, officially classified as a Category 5 tropical cyclone, affected more than 12 ...

How common is aggression in UK dogs?

2014-01-07
How common is aggression in UK dogs? Aggressive dogs represent a serious risk to human health, tragically causing fatalities in rare cases. The development of aggression can also impact on a dog's welfare, because of a breakdown of the human-pet bond, euthanasia ...

Temperature found to be most significant driver of the world's tallest trees

2014-01-07
Temperature found to be most significant driver of the world's tallest trees Understanding forest biodiversity and how carbon dioxide is stored within trees is an important area of ecological research. The bigger the tree, the more carbon it stores and a study in New Phytologist ...

MRSA drug dosage calculations found to be inaccurate for children over 10

2014-01-07
MRSA drug dosage calculations found to be inaccurate for children over 10 The emergence of MRSA (Staphylococcus aureus), dubbed a 'superbug' due to its resistance to many antibiotic drugs, has resulted in the glycopeptide antibiotic Vancomycin being commonly prescribed for patients ...

New global stroke repository offers regional comparative statistics

2014-01-07
New global stroke repository offers regional comparative statistics In many countries strokes are seen as a lower priority when compared to other diseases despite their public health impact. This is partly due to a lack of readily accessible data to make the case for the development ...

Vikings & superheroes: How interconnected characters may reveal the reality behind the stories

2014-01-07
Vikings & superheroes: How interconnected characters may reveal the reality behind the stories The Icelandic sagas of the Norse people are thousand-year-old chronicles of brave deeds and timeless romances, but how true to Viking life were they? Writing in Significance, Pádraig ...

New, simple technique may drive down biofuel production costs

2014-01-07
New, simple technique may drive down biofuel production costs Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a simple, effective and relatively inexpensive technique for removing lignin from the plant material used to make biofuels, which ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Pavlov’s dogs were conditioned to go to their treat. Why do some animals learn to interact with the bell instead?

Call for Young Editorial Board members at Current Molecular Pharmacology

MSU team develops scalable climate solutions for agricultural carbon markets

Playing an instrument may protect against cognitive aging

UNM study finds link between Grand Canyon landslide and Meteor Crater impact

Ultra-hot Jupiter’s death spiral could reveal stellar secrets

You only get one brain! The best helmet material for protecting your noggin

Neurodegeneration and stroke after GLP-1RAs in diabetes and obesity

Pediatric COVID-19 hospitalization trends by race and ethnicity, 2020-2023

Research spotlight: New genetic roadmap offers insights into obesity and diabetes

Fred Hutch leads new Vanguard Study for Cancer Screening Research Network

‘Mismatched’ transplants now safe, effective for blood cancer patients, study finds

New research helps narrow down uncertainties in near-term precipitation projections for the Asian Water Tower

AI tool accurately detects tumor location on breast MRI

Researchers use OCT imaging to uncover how the fallopian tube transports embryos

PolyU secures RGC theme-based research scheme funding to develop cost-effective and sustainable Co-GenAI model

Van Andel Institute scientists develop technique for high-resolution single cell epigenetic analysis

The Lundquist Institute wins multi-year NIH grant exceeding $11 million to transform diagnosis and treatment of deadly mucormycosis

Review suggests ending adult boosters for tetanus, diphtheria

ESMT Berlin welcomes Rebecca Schaumberg to faculty

Blocking a little-known protein may offer new hope for devastating lung disease

Medieval medicine was smarter than you think – and weirdly similar to TikTok trends

FAU receives NIH grant to investigate amphetamine addiction

Realizing on-site carbon nanotube photo-thermoelectric imaging

Most of us love memes. But are they a form of comics?

Novel biosensor allows real-time monitoring of sucrose uptake in plants

Korea University researchers reveal revealing how WEE1 drives cancer resistance to immunotherapy

Pusan National University researchers develop breakthrough deep learning model that enhances handheld 3D medical imaging

SLAS Discovery and SLAS Technology demonstrate research impact with 2024 impact factors

Disease-causing bacteria can deal with stink as long as they get a meal

[Press-News.org] Drugs related to cannabis have pain-relieving potential for osteoarthritis