Cannabis Plants Powerful Pain Killers

Cannabis Plants Powerful Pain-Killers 

Cannabis Plants - how they look like

Cannabis Plants 

Cannabis Plants 

For the first time, researchers have found out how the cannabis plant produces molecules that are highly effective as pain killers. The group behind the research trust their hardships will  one day be able to create new painkillers that comes without the problematic side effects of potential addiction.

The group, based at the University of Guelph, utilized a blend of genomics and organic chemistry to turn out how the cannabis plant makes cannflavin A and cannflavin B, two atoms that are 30 times greater at suppressing inflammation than aspirin. 

The molecules known as flavonoids have been known of their existence since 1985. However, due to strict regulation on cannabis research, work on these molecules has been limited. Presently, because of Canada's ongoing sanctioning of cannabis research, scientist have received grants to explore possibilities  of their healing properties medical treatment without hindered. 

The group used biochemical method to work out which genes are involved to make the two molecules and which enzymes are needed in the production process. Their findings are published in the journal Phytochemistry.

"Our objective is to better understand how these molecules interact with our body, which is a relatively straightforward exercise these days," said study co-author Professor Tariq Akhtar in a statement. "There are many sequenced genomes that are readily available, including the genomes of Cannabis sativa, which can be mined for information. If you know what you're looking for, one can bring genes to life, so to speak, and piece together how molecules like cannflavins A and B are assembled."      

Knowing how cannflavin A and B are produced could help us tackle the opioid crisis. The molecules are not psychoactive – they don’t affect the mind, like opioids or the THC in cannabis do – and target pain directly. This means that we could use them to create a new class of painkillers that don’t carry such a risk of addiction. A recent study found that people in Colorado are increasingly using marijuana to treat pain and many have cut down their opioid intake as a result. However, using cannabis in the traditional could lead to addiction risks.

"As there is clearly a need to develop alternatives treatment of acute and chronic pain that go beyond opioids," said Akhtar. "These molecules are non-psychoactive and they target the inflammation at the source, makes them ideal painkillers."

With their new findings of how these pain-fighting molecules are synthesized, the researchers are now finding solution to develop a biological system with which the drug can be produced in large quantities. The two flavonoids are produced in small amounts by the cannabis plant, so the genetically engineered plants won't be able to produce sufficient amounts. The researchers have a patented license to produce the two cannflavins outside of the cannabis plant in collaboration with a Canadian company called Anahit International Corp.

"Being able to propound a new pain relief drug seems quiet  great achievement, and the group is proud of their work having potential to become a new drug in the pain relief arsenal," said study co-author Professor Steven Rothstein

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