POT CHEMICALS MIGHT INHIBIT BREAST TUMORS, STROKE DAMAGE

There may be a silver lining to a cloud of marijuana smoke.

While most medical researchers don't condone recreational marijuana use,
marijuana derivatives may prevent brain cell damage in strokes and slow the
growth of breast tumors.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health, led by A.J. Hampson,
found that cannabidiol, one of a class of marijuana constituents called
cannabinoids, is a powerful antioxidant. When tested on rat neurons in a
lab dish (no smoking was involved), the substance prevented the death of
brain cells during conditions simulating a stroke.

A stroke unleashes a torrent of glutamate, a chemical messenger in the
brain, which leads to the formation of toxic oxidizing molecules. Other
antioxidants, such as vitamins A and E, already are known to block the
damaging effects of excess glutamate, but the researchers found that
cannabidiol was even more effective.

Another cannabinoid, commonly known as THC, proved to be an equally
effective antioxidant and neuron protector. However, the researchers said,
THC's euphoric side effects would not allow doctors to administer it in
high doses.

The study was reported last week in the Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences.

In a separate study in the same journal, researchers - led by Luciano De
Petrocellis of the National Institute for the Chemistry of Biological
Systems in Naples, Italy - found that a third cannabinoid called anandamide
can inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells by interfering with their DNA
production cycle. Non-mammary tumor cells were not affected by anandamide.

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)