MARIJUANA IN ASTHMA STUDY

A team from Hungary has conducted research into marijuana and established a
link between the drug and asthma which could help develop new treatments for
respiratory-related illnesses.

Back in the mid-1970s US professor Donald P Taskin found that "recent
studies demonstrated significant, acute bronchodilation in healthy
young men after they smoked marijuana".

Now research in Hungary, Italy and the US indicates that while some
asthma sufferers are prone to coughing when exposed to elements of the
drug, others seem to be less affected by such irritation when lung
muscles are tensed.

According to Dr Tamas Freund of the Institute of Experimental Medicine
of Budapest, the knowledge gleaned from this research could alter the
way respiratory illnesses are treated.

"Colleagues at the University of California, Irvine, found that
induced bronchular constriction was antagonized by anandamide, a
substance with the same properties as cannabinoids, a material found
in marijuana.

"The contribution of my laboratory was to localize the molecules
released by anandamide and its effect on nerve fibers in order to ease
the muscles, helping reduce the substance that constricts the
muscles," he explained.

Marijuana is currently being examined for medical properties in the
fields of asthma, stroke and cancer research, as well as being
utilized for pain relief and the control of nausea and vomiting
associated with chemotherapy treatment.

Freund and his staff of researchers have completed their part of the
project, but say the day drugs utilizing their work are widely
available to help asthma sufferers is still some way off in the future.

"This is the basic research, more study is required before drugs can
be made available," said Freund. At present the research has involved
animals, but in the US research is soon to be conducted on humans.

Danielle Piomelli, of the University of California, said, "We think
that by targeting cannabinoid receptors in the upper airways we can
control coughs in a number of conditions."

For the moment, the Institute of Experimental Medicine is now
continuing its work with marijuana based substances, examining the
link between learning and memory.