Our blogs about
America's Wars
War on Iraq
War on Drugs
War on Afghanistan
War on Columbia
War on Philippines
War on Venezuela

More
Matrix Masters
Blogs
World Events
US News
Science & Health
Earth News
Free Speech
News from Africa
News from Palestine
Bill of Rights Under Attack

Matrix Masters'
SUPPORTERS

Lorenzo's
Random Musings
. . . about Chaos,
Reason, and Hope

 

Something to think about
In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating ten raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man.
-- Judge Francis Young, Chief Administrative Law Judge for the DEA

posted by Lorenzo 12:47 PM

 

Marijuana chemical may fight cancer
(New Scientist, 15 August 2004)
Cannabis extracts may shrink brain tumours and other cancers by blocking the growth of the blood vessels which feed them, suggests a new study. . . . An active component of the street drug has previously been shown to improve brain tumours in rats. But now Manuel Guzman at Complutense University, Spain, and colleagues have demonstrated how the cannabis extracts block a key chemical needed for tumours to sprout blood vessels - a process called angiogenesis. . . . And for the first time, the team has shown the cannabinoids impede this chemical in people with the most aggressive form of brain cancer - glioblastoma multiforme. . . . "The cannabinoid inhibits the angiogenesis response - if a tumour doesn’t do angiogenesis, it doesn’t grow," she explains. "So if you can improve angiogenesis on one side and kill the tumour cells on the other side, you can try for a therapy for cancer." . . . "This research provides an important new lead compound for anti-cancer drugs targeting cancer's blood supply," says Richard Sullivan, head of clinical programmes, at Cancer Research UK. . . . Sullivan points out: "Although this work is at an early stage of development other research has already demonstrated that VEGF is an important drug target for a range of cancers." . . . He emphasises the need for further work on cannabinoid combinations. "Cannabinoids would need to generate very strong data in the future as there are already a number of VEGF inhibitors in clinical development," he says

posted by Lorenzo 3:18 PM

 

Marijuana chemical may fight cancer
(New Scientist, 15 August 2004)
Cannabis extracts may shrink brain tumours and other cancers by blocking the growth of the blood vessels which feed them, suggests a new study. . . . An active component of the street drug has previously been shown to improve brain tumours in rats. But now Manuel Guzman at Complutense University, Spain, and colleagues have demonstrated how the cannabis extracts block a key chemical needed for tumours to sprout blood vessels - a process called angiogenesis. . . . And for the first time, the team has shown the cannabinoids impede this chemical in people with the most aggressive form of brain cancer - glioblastoma multiforme. . . . "The cannabinoid inhibits the angiogenesis response - if a tumour doesn’t do angiogenesis, it doesn’t grow," she explains. "So if you can improve angiogenesis on one side and kill the tumour cells on the other side, you can try for a therapy for cancer." . . . "This research provides an important new lead compound for anti-cancer drugs targeting cancer's blood supply," says Richard Sullivan, head of clinical programmes, at Cancer Research UK. . . . Sullivan points out: "Although this work is at an early stage of development other research has already demonstrated that VEGF is an important drug target for a range of cancers." . . . He emphasises the need for further work on cannabinoid combinations. "Cannabinoids would need to generate very strong data in the future as there are already a number of VEGF inhibitors in clinical development," he says

posted by Lorenzo 3:16 PM