Work and Money

Scientists at Queen Mary, University of London, in Mile End may have discovered a new way to separate the therapeutic benefits of cannabis from its mood-altering side-effects.

Some sufferers of multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's have claimed that cannabis helps to alleviate their painful symptoms and help weight gain. It is also an anti-emetic, which means that it relieves nausea.

'Karen', a London resident who suffers from a condition similar to Multiple Sclerosis and regularly takes cannabis to alleviate muscle spasms and nerve pain, told BBC London that she hopes scientific research into cannabis will change the way it is viewed by society as a therapeutic drug.

Dulling the bad effect

Psychiatrists have shown that cannabis can cause feelings of euphoria and relaxation, but also negative psychological effects, including panic attacks and depression. In the long-term, regular use can also lead to severe psychosis and schizophrenia.

Both the therapeutic pain-relief and these negative side-effects are caused by an ingredient in the cannabis plant called THC, which activates pain-relief receptors in the brain.

Professor Maurice Elphick

Professor Maurice Elphick and Dr Michaela Egertová at Queen Mary, working in collaboration with scientists in the United States, have identified a protein that binds to the pain-relief receptors in the brain and suppresses their activity so that THC does not produce the same behavioural effect.

In theory, by getting the right balance of suppression of the receptor, the protein could be used to allow the THC to relieve pain while not creating mood changes.

Their findings are described in the December issue of the journal, Molecular Pharmacology.

Cannabis-based medicines

Prof Elphick told BBC London: "It was established a long time ago that cannabis has therapeutic effects. This one is new, but it is one of a number of discoveries taking advantage of the therapeutic effects."

Expert in the field, Oxford University Professor Leslie Iversen, said this find could offer a new approach to the discovery of cannabis-based medicines in the future."

Although cannabis-based treatments do already exist, the discovery could lead to the development of new medicines to treat conditions such as epilepsy, obesity and chronic pain.

angela.saini@bbc.co.uk