Chronic pain is often difficult to treat and, in certain cases, doctors prescribe medical marijuana to relieve it. However, this natural pain reliever can sometimes significantly affect memory and other cognitive functions. Researchers have now developed a peptide that...THC, the main component of cannabis, was able to combat pain in mice without side effects.
New method for medical marijuana as a medication
Opioids, the mainstay for treating severe pain, are effective, but patients can easily become dependent on them. In some studies, medical marijuana has been helpful in relieving pain from migraines, neuropathy, cancer, and other conditions. However, the side effects represent hurdles for widespread therapeutic use. Previously, the study authors identified two peptides that disrupt an interaction between two receptors. One is the target of THC, while the other binds serotonin. This is a neurotransmitter that regulates learning, memory and other cognitive functions. When the researchers injected the two peptides into the brains of laboratory mice, the animals had fewer memory problems. Until now, the main cause of these disorders has been tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Based on data from molecular dynamics simulations, the researchers then designed two peptides that were less than half the length of the original ones but retained their receptor binding and other functions. They also optimized the peptide sequences for improved cell entry, stability and ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. The researchers then gave mice orally the most promising peptide along with a THC injection and tested the animals' pain threshold and memory. Mice that the research team treated with both THC and the optimized peptide reaped the pain-relieving benefits that medical marijuana provides. After treatment with this combined therapeutic approach, the animals also showed improved memory. This has shown a significant difference compared to mice in the laboratory that only received THC. An important insightthis studywas also that multiple treatments with the peptide failed to elicit an immune response.
