Marihuana and medicine : [proceedings of a symposium held at New York University School of Medicine, Mar. 20-21, 1998

In Marihuana and Medicine, leading physicians and scientists from around the world critically review the pharmacological and molecular basis of the therapeutic properties of marihuana and its active ingredient, THC. They detail the broad array of marihuana's effects on brain function, the immune system, male and female reproductive function, and cardiac and pulmonary function, as well as evaluate its clinical applications in psychiatry, glaucoma, pain management, cancer chemotherapy, and AIDS treatment. Their work indicates that marihuana impairs brain and reproductive function, is harmful to the immune system, is more damaging when smoked to the lung than tobacco smoke, and is not an effective, medically acceptable therapeutic vehicle for THC. The editors have also included key historical material tracing the controversial history of marihuana in science and medicine over the centuries. Marihuana and Medicine's report of the latest findings on the pharmacological, pharmacodynamic, and molecular mechanisms of marihuana will be essential reading for clinicians, psychiatrists, pharmacologists, policy makers, health-care workers, and attorneys. Front Matter....Pages i-xxii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 A Brief History of Four Millennia (B.C. 2000—A.D. 1974)....Pages 3-7 The Helsinki Symposium (1975)....Pages 9-12 The Reims Symposium (1978)....Pages 13-24 Conflicting Reports on Marihuana and Health (1981–1982)....Pages 25-31 The Louisville Symposium of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (1982)....Pages 33-44 The Oxford Symposium “Marihuana ’84”....Pages 45-52 The Paris Symposium of the French “National Academie de Medicine” (1992)....Pages 53-57 The 1997 Medical Controversy over the Legalization of Marihuana for Medicine....Pages 59-62 Front Matter....Pages 63-63 Cannabinoid Geometry and Biological Activity....Pages 65-90 Absorption, Distribution, and Biotransformation of the Cannabinoids....Pages 91-103 Pharmacokinetics of THC in Inhaled and Oral Preparations....Pages 105-116 Pharmacokinetics and Mechanisms of Action of Analgesics in Clinical Pain....Pages 117-121 Δ 9 -THC Hemisuccinate in Suppository Form as an Alternative to Oral and Smoked THC....Pages 123-135 Composition and Stability of a Standard Marihuana Cigarette....Pages 137-143 Study Design Considerations in Clinical Trials with Marihuana....Pages 145-151 Front Matter....Pages 153-153 Effects of THC on Brain and Social Organization of Ants....Pages 155-161 Studies of the Brain Cannabinoid System Using Positron and Single-Photon Emission Tomography....Pages 163-176 Cannabinoid Receptors and Their Ligands in Brain and Other Tissues....Pages 177-185 Cannabinoid Interaction with Brain Reward Systems....Pages 187-205 Dependence, Tolerance, and Alteration in Gene Expression....Pages 207-211 Front Matter....Pages 153-153 Cocaine and a Mechanism for Long-Term Changes in Gene Expression....Pages 213-222 Cannabinoids and the Cholinergic System....Pages 223-226 Marihuana....Pages 227-231 Does THC Induce Aggression?....Pages 233-241 Front Matter....Pages 243-243 The Psychologic and Physiologic Effects of Active Cannabinoids....Pages 245-252 Physiological and Pharmacological Interactions of Marihuana (THC) with Drugs and Anesthetics....Pages 253-271 Interactions of Marihuana and THC with Other Drugs....Pages 273-277 Marihuana and the Lung....Pages 279-287 Marihuana Smoking, a Possible Carcinogen or Cocarcinogen....Pages 289-290 Cardiovascular Effects of Marihuana and Cannabinoids....Pages 291-304 The Immune Response and Marihuana....Pages 305-316 Marihuana and the Immune System....Pages 317-325 How to Design the Ideal Drug of the Future....Pages 327-331 Front Matter....Pages 333-333 Cannabinoid Receptors in Sperm....Pages 335-345 Effects of Cannabinoids on Spermatogenesis in Mice....Pages 347-357 Effects of Marihuana Inhalation on Spermatogenesis of the Rat....Pages 359-366 Changes in Human Spermatozoa Associated with High-Dose Marihuana Smoking....Pages 367-378 Tolerance to the Reproductive Effects of Δ 9 -Tetrahydrocannabinol....Pages 379-384 Marihuana Effects on Pituitary and Gonadal Hormones in Women....Pages 385-392 Cannabinoid Ligand-Receptor Signaling During Early Pregnancy in the Mouse....Pages 393-409 Front Matter....Pages 333-333 Effects of Cannabis on Fetal Development of Rodents....Pages 411-430 Prenatal Exposure to Cannabis and Fetal Development....Pages 431-440 Maternal or Paternal Exposure to Cannabinoids Affects Central Neurotransmitter Levels and Reproductive Function in Male Offspring....Pages 441-447 Reproduction in Rhesus Monkeys Chronically Exposed to Δ 9 -Tetrahydrocannabinol....Pages 449-459 The Effects of Maternal Marihuana Use During Pregnancy on Fetal Growth....Pages 461-466 Front Matter....Pages 467-467 Central Mechanisms of Pain and Analgesia....Pages 469-472 Pharmacology of Chronic Pain....Pages 473-485 Antipyretic Analgesic Drugs....Pages 487-498 Dimethylheptyl-THC-11-oic Acid....Pages 499-510 Analgesic Properties of THC and Its Synthetic Derivatives....Pages 511-526 Barbiturate Potentiating, Temperature Reducing, Analgesic, and Behavioral Effects of Some Synthetic Tetrahydrocannabinol Derivatives in Comparison with Δ 9 -Tetrahydrocannabinol....Pages 527-539 Hyperalgesia and Response Bias Following Chronic Marihuana Smoking....Pages 541-552 Levonantradol....Pages 553-560 Nabilone....Pages 561-566 Clinical Experience of the Synthetic Cannabinoid Nabilone for Chronic Pain....Pages 567-572 Cannabinoids in the Treatment of Pain....Pages 573-577 Front Matter....Pages 579-579 Marihuana and Intraocular Pressure....Pages 581-589 Marihuana and the Treatment of Glaucoma....Pages 591-595 Front Matter....Pages 597-597 Cannabinoids and the Control of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting....Pages 599-610 Clinical and Experimental Reports of Marihuana and Cannabinoids in Spastic Disorders....Pages 611-617 Front Matter....Pages 597-597 Marihuana: Effects on Neuronal Excitability and Seizure Threshold....Pages 619-629 Marihuana Use in Multiple Sclerosis....Pages 631-637 Recreational and Medical Uses of Marihuana in Latin America....Pages 639-646 Front Matter....Pages 647-647 The Neuropsychiatric Syndrome of Δ 9 -Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabis Intoxication in Naive Subjects....Pages 649-664 Cannabis and Psychiatric Syndrome....Pages 665-669 Cannabis and Schizophrenia....Pages 671-681 Detection of Cannabis in Victims of Violent Death in Stockholm (1987–1994)....Pages 683-689 Front Matter....Pages 691-691 Pathogenesis of Malnutrition in HIV Infection....Pages 693-699 The Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Single-Agent and Combination Therapy with Megestrol Acetate and Dronabinol for the Treatment of HIV Wasting Syndrome....Pages 701-716 Marihuana for AIDS Wasting....Pages 717-721 Front Matter....Pages 723-723 Cannabis and Alcohol....Pages 725-730 The Distribution of Consumption of Alcohol and Marihuana....Pages 731-736 Drug Abuse and the Law....Pages 737-743 Federal Regualtions for the Prescription of Controlled Substances....Pages 745-750 FDA Regulation of Prescription of Controlled Substances....Pages 751-755 The Swedish Addiction Epidemic in Global Perspective....Pages 757-763 Front Matter....Pages 765-765 The Medical Use of Marihuana and THC in Perspective....Pages 767-780 Receptor and Nonreceptor Membrane-Mediated Effects of THC and Cannabinoids....Pages 781-805 Marihuana and Medicine....Pages 807-810 Back Matter....Pages 811-826

Leading physicians and scientists from around the world critically examine the pharmacological and molecular basis of the therapeutic properties of marihuana and its active ingredient, THC. They detail the broad array of marihuana's effects on brain function, the immune system, male and female reproductive functions, and cardiac and pulmonary functions, as well as evaluate its clinical applications in psychiatry, glaucoma, pain management, cancer chemotherapy, and AIDS treatment. Their studies indicate that marihuana persistently impairs the brain and reproductive function, and that marihuana smoke is more toxic and damaging to the lung than tobacco smoke. Marihuana and Medicine's reports of the latest findings on the pharmacological and molecular mechanisms of marihuana and of its clinical manifestations will be essential reading for physicians, psychiatrists, pharmacologists, health-care professionals, policy makers, public health officials, and attorneys.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Michael Joel Schrift, D.O., M.A.(University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine)
Description:This is a comprehensive book covering the pharmacological, metabolic, and therapeutic properties of marijuana. Written and edited by researchers in the field, this is a valuable contribution to the field.
Purpose:The purpose is to report the latest findings on the pharmacological, pharmacodynamic, and molecular mechanisms of marijuana.
Audience:The intended audience, as stated by the editors, is clinicians, psychiatrists, pharmacologists, policy makers, healthcare workers, and attorneys.
Features:The book features 826 pages divided into 11 parts and 71 chapters, including an introduction, and an index section. Topics covered include an historical review, chemistry and pharmacokinetics, biochemistry and molecular mechanisms, pharmacology and physiopathology, reproductive function, treatment of pain, glaucoma, effects on the nervous system, marijuana and psychiatry, AIDS management, marijuana and medicine, public health, and public policy. The book ends with a useful index section.
Assessment:This is a valuable book with a focus on the molecular and clinical aspects of marijuana. It will be mainly used as a reference.