Putting the CBD's back in our Herb!

[Suby]

Hello Great Growers of ICmag.

In my quest for health it has come to my attention that a lot of research evolving around the medicinal qualities of our favourite medicine involve CBD's, a compound in MJ that both mediates the effects of THC but also contains the healing and curative qualities medicinal users are looking for over high THC strains.

My recent encounter with one of my doctors led to the discussion that pot today had been bred with a recreational focus and that THC was the breeding trait that was of the greatest importance while CBD content have dropped as a result, most tested strains recording around or under 1% CBD whereas THC can get to be around 10-20% representing a balance that is not truly medicinal in nature.

I am a researcher by nature, I LOVE to gather both growers but also information in effort to better understand and spread knowledge to those in need, there are a few threads on this site dedicated to strains but I am looking for a broader spectrum of info here and I will be posting articles and links.

Anyone should feel free to share any information they feel relevant and help us fight big pharma, they are working furiously to scoop our herb and it's legalization from us, let's get this show rolling and beat them to it .

 

[Suby]

This first post is dedicated to Pops, our self proclaimed resident grumpster is actually a huge wealth of information and has probably the single most useful source of information I have been able to find on this site.
It is with respect and hopefully his consent that I am putting some of the posts I though where essential to my start here in this thread, I am hoping he can aid us in this research and if he should not want me to quote his posts he can let me know and I will fix it

THC is good for minor pain, is an antiemetic(for nausea) ,an antioxidant, a neoroprotector and kills some types of cancer cells. CBD(cannabidiol) is a neuroprotector, an antiemetic, anti-anxiety,anti-psychotic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory,anti-convulsive or antispasmodic, relaxes the long muscles of the body and keeps cancer cell from reproducing. As you can see, what you are looking for is an equal combination of THC and CBD. It does not exist yet, as all drug breeders breed out the CBD from their strains. Hawaiian Snow and White Widow from Greenhouse seeds are listed as having about 1% CBd at that is some of the highest I have seen.

Most breeders breed strains that have less than .1% CBD. Land race hash strains often contain 50%THc and 50%CBD. I am working on a couple Afghan hash strains now, trying to breed exactly what you are looking for. Unfortunately, it will take a while. I am breeding for my son, a motor neuron patient(ALS) and my daughters(Fibromyalgia/anxiety).

For now, you might try Med Man from Shantibaba. (Mr. Nice seeds). You should be growing indicas for your need.

I have a friend in Israel who worked in the lab of Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, the man who discovered THC. He is feeding me info from Dr. Mechoulam and we are sharing genetics. Most hash strains that come from Morocco, Afghanistan and the Middle east(Except Egypt) have a lot of CBD.

On the B locus of a chromosome, you have 2 alleles, the Bt,which produces THC from CBG, and Bd, which produces CBD from CBG. Many plants in the wild, have a genotype of BtBd and contain both. When you breed them, you wind up with 25% BtBT, which only has THC, 50% BtBd, which has both, and 25% BdBd, which has primarily CBD(like Hemp). Professional breeders get rid of the BtBd and BdBd genotypes, so as to have more THC.

Dr. Mechoulam states that drug strains that have primarily THC, are not as effective as medicine as we once thought. He believes that a medical strain should have 3x CBD to 1x THC. That is almost impossible to breed. You would have to grow a BtBd strain and a BdBd strain and mix the 2. The hard part is trying ti identify a BtBd strain,as most of us do not have a GC/MS sitting around in our garage.

Most professional breeders call any strain with over 1% CBD, a high CBD strain, as the vast majority of professionally bred strains have less than .1% CBD. Greenhouse has White Widow and Hawaiian Snow listed as about 1%. I have never seen a seed offered that has more than that. What you want is 6-8% THC and 6-8%CBD. Among professionally bred seeds, it does not exist. Hopefully, some day, it will.

HS, the good doc recommends a 3 to 1 ratio of CBD to THc. The only way to get that is to mix a BtBd strain with buds from a BdBd strain. Hemp is a BdBd strain, but usually tastes like shit and is very harsh. The taste is probably because the hemp may not contain some of the flavorful terpenes as the drug strains. I simply don't know. I am currently trying to grow a hemp strain. I got some feral hemp seeds from Minnesota, but they are old and I am having germ problems. Only 1 out of 40 has cracked and grown so far. You can also get BdBd genotypes from land race drug strain by breeding a BtBd x BtBd. 25% of the seeds will have a BdBd genotype. These are easy to discover, as they will not get you stoned. If you find a BdBd genotype female, you can pollinate it with any drug strain male that is BtBt and all the seeds you get will be BtBd and will contain both THC and CBD. That is basically the project that I am working on. The biggest problem with growing hemp is taste and a very long flower period. Also lower total amount of cannabinoids.

I have articles to post but Pops really set the groundwork for me here.
Much respect my friend

 

[Suby]

Big Pharma and CBD's

Big Pharma and CBD's

Pot Shots
Who's Afraid of Cannabidiol?
By FRED GARDNER
THC -delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol is often described inaccurately as "the active ingredient in cannabis." At least five other cannabinoids (compounds unique to the cannabis plant) have been shown to exhibit biological activity, and so have some of the spicy-smelling terpenes and other compounds found in plants other than cannabis.

CBD -Cannabidiol- is an active ingredient of cannabis that has been suppressed by growers and governments for countless generations. From Marakesh to Mendocino, plants have been bred for maximum psychoactivity, resulting in high THC and low CBD content. In the Prop 215 era, California growers hoping to develop plants with a high CBD-to-THC ratio have been stymied by lack of access to an analytical test lab. Surreptitious tests have been done on "high grade" plants whose buds turned out to be in the range of 15-20% THC and 0.1% CBD.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has placed CBD on Schedule I even though CBD has no known adverse effects and doesn't induce "euphoria." The prohibition of CBD exposes the broader marijuana prohibition as strictly a governmental control tactic having nothing to do with public health or "protecting the children." The most dire effects attributed to marijuana -tachycardia (accelerated heartbeat), panic, confusion, anxiety, even psychosis- are effects of THC that CBD actually mitigates! By banning CBD outright and denying growers the means to develop high-CBD plant strains, the government is protecting the American people from an immunomodulator with anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsant, anti-psychotic, anti-oxidant, and neuroprotective properties.

A high-CBD cannabis strain was developed in the 1980s by David Watson and Robert Clarke, American naturalists who founded a company called Hortapharm in Amsterdam to pursue their goal of developing plant strains for different purposes. (The day Watson and Clarke became expatriates is the day the U.S. lost its lead in the field of cannabis therapeutics.) In 1998 Hortapharm sold its seed stock to a British start-up, GW Pharmaceuticals, which has since developed a strain that expresses 97% of its cannabinoid content as CBD

GW plans to test its high-CBD strain as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases, psychotic disorders, and epilepsy. It is now in Phase 2 trials to determine the dose levels to use in clinical trials involving people. GW mixes its high-CBD and high-THC strains in a 1:1 ratio to make Sativex, a plant extract formulated for spraying under the tongue that has been approved in Canada and elsewhere to treat neuropathic pain associated with multiple sclerosis. CBD evidently bolsters the pain-killing effects of THC while moderating its psychoactivity. In various studies, patients with severe pain have reported getting significantly more relief from Sativex, the mixture, than from GW's high-THC extract.


The 2007 ICRS Meeting

CBD was the subject of several talks and posters that generated buzz at this year's meeting of the International Cannabinoid Research Society, held June 26-30 at a ski resort in Saint Sauveur, Quebec. Among the promising studies: "CBD and the Neural Correlates of Anxiety," by Jose Alexandre Crippa and colleagues at King's College, London, and the Universidade de Sao Paulo. They measured blood flow in various parts of the brain as subjects viewed upsetting images and found that those who had been given an oral dose of CBD had markedly reduced responses. Iddo Magen's team at Hadassah Hebrew University in Jerusalem showed that CBD and 2-AG (one of the body's own cannabinoids) improved cognition and neurological function in mice with liver damage. Erica Carrier and co-workers at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, determined that CBD exerts its anti-anxiety effects by activating the adenosine receptors.

Some 350 scientists from university and drug-company laboratories attended. Merck, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, and Allergan (maker of Botox and silicone breast implants) were among the corporate participants. They are all trying to develop synthetic drugs that confer some of the health benefits of cannabis without the psychoactivity. The studies described by representatives of these companies tend not to involve their most promising drugs; or else the speakers are not wholly forthcoming about the structure of the drugs involved.

Other participants included Cayman Chemical (which supplies various companies' products to research labs), Valeant (now marketing a synthetic cannabinoid called Nabilone, developed by Eli Lilly in the 1980s), ElSohly Laboratories (Mississippi-based, the only company authorized by the DEA to grow cannabis in the U.S.), Bedrocan BV (which grows cannabis for the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport), Cannasat (a Canadian company with three plant-based products in their pipeline), and GW Pharmaceuticals.

Bayer Health Care, which distributes GW's Sativex in Canada, had set up a large exhibit in one of the rooms dedicated to posters. Geoffrey Guy, the head of GW, expressed embarrassment ("That's not really the sort of thing to do at a scientific conference") and pride ("I rather liked it; the materials they distributed were excellent") in a 1:1 mix.

The meeting's primary sponsor was Sanofi-Aventis, the world's third-largest drug company, which had suffered a major setback in mid-June when an FDA advisory panel voted 14-0 against recommending approval of Acomplia (also known as Rimonabant), a weight-loss drug that works by blocking the CB1 receptor. Acomplia has been approved for sale in the UK and elsewhere, and Sanofi and most securities analysts had projected it to be a blockbuster in the U.S. But the FDA advisors were troubled by the number of suicides and seizures in the clinical-trial data.

When Sanofi first announced at the 2004 ICRS meeting that Rimonabant was proving effective in large-scale trials in Europe, Jeffrey Hergenrather, MD, of Sebastopol and other California clinicians warned that reversing the effects of the body's own cannabinoid system was very likely to cause health problems. Your correspondent had published a piece quoting Hergenrather, slugged "Danger! Danger! Danger!" So it was a little awkward to encounter the charming scientists from Sanofi at this year's meeting, knowing they had just lost out on millions and might hold us partly responsible (when it fact we are under the radar and politically impotent).

Rimonabant has been used by more than 100,000 people in Europe and Sanofi contends that the safety profile may yet turn out to be satisfactory. They're also trying to figure out ways to prevent those most at risk -people with epilepsy, MS, a history of serious depression, etc. etc.- from taking Rimonabant. Unfortunately, the et ceteras are numerous. Sanofi's marketers wish they could sell Rimonabant only to diabetics for whom it would be most beneficial. They dream of applying "genomics" (analyzing every patient's genetic make-up before prescribing) but the reality is a world in which doctors can prescribe for off-label uses and everyone wants to lose 10 pounds.

The consensus among ICRS scientists is that downward modulation of the CB1 receptor is a feasible strategy for treating diabetes and metabolic syndrome, but that Rimonabant -an "inverse agonist" that doesn't simply block the receptor but achieves a reverse effect on endocannabinoid tone throughout the body- was too strong a drug. "Inverse agonists of the endocannabinoid system probably do not exist in Nature," observes Ethan Russo, MD. "Pharmaceuticals that act in such a manner may be outside physiological parameters. The normal order calls for more subtlety of function.

GW is beginning to test a plant strain high in THCV, a neutral antagonist that lightly occupies the receptor but doesn't reverse its effects on endocannabinoid tone. Guy says, "We may get tarred with the brush by those who don't understand the difference between an inverse agonist and a neutral antagonist. It's up to us to present data in due course that reflect those distinctions."
Fred Gardner edits O'Shaughnessy's, the Journal of Cannabis in Clinical Practice. He can be reached at fred@plebesite.com

Food for though

 

[Suby]

Post from other Canna Sites

Post from other Canna Sites

I got a little frenzied and don't have all the links for the info I have been hunting down, I take no credit for any info here and thank all those I am quoting and post whoring from .

Why Modern Medical Cannabis Strains have Minimal CBD

Sam the Skunkman says that nearly all modern cannabis is pretty much CBD-free or the levels are so low as to be miniscule, landrace indicas are the way to go.

Right now there's simply no strains available where cbd will make up more than 2% of the overall cannabinoids (.5% of the flower weight) and no way of cultivating a noticeably higher cbd content. For the most part conversion of cbg into cbd is controlled by a single gene (Bd) which is codominant with the gene that converts cbg into thc. For example a plant that inherits a Bd gene from one parent and a Bt gene from the other will have roughly equal content of Cbd and Thc. However, if the plant is homozygous for Bd it will have very little thc and if its homozygous for Bt it will have very little Cbd.

While it is true that afghani landraces can have a high cbd content. Since having a Bd gene will replace half of the thc content with cbd seed companies always remove the Bd allele from the gene pool in order to maximize thc potency and stay competitive. Right now Breeders choice is working on several indicas from afghanistan, pakistan, and north india as well as Sativas from Hokkaido and intending to produce versions both with the Bd gene for producing high cbd levels and without. All of the plants produce high cannabinoid levels. The six hokkaido strains we're working with are very hardy and fast flowering. They can be planted pretty much anywhere and left uncultivated/unfertilized and as long as they aren't eaten by wild animals harvested by mid august. They have a fairly low frequency of the Bd allele with most of the plants produce 5-10% thc but I believe the Bd allele does still occur in at least some of them. This makes a very good strain for medical users who require high cbd levels. Since depending on the plant high cbd strains don't produce as much of, if any high it is important for the plants to be effortlessly grown clandestinely and take very little effort and resource which can be taken away from primary thc producing plants. The Hokkaido strains which still possess the bd allele are perfect for this scenario. Since the nature of the genes which control cbd production only allow for plants to produce either veryl low levels cbd, rough 50/50 thc/cbd or very low levels of thc manufacture of hashish or honey oil allows for the med user to mix high cbd and high thc plants at a ratio which produces the desired medicinal effects.

Source: Zamolito

ps The only seed company that lists CBD levels seems to be Greenhouse Seeds, and their most potent CBD strain is Great White Shark, with a CBD level of 1.7%...white rhino is 1.6%, white widow is 1.4%.

"One of the problems with breeding for cbd is that a 50/50 chemotype canot be true breeding."
Sam the Skunkman says:
"I have not found this to be true at all, you can take a 50/50 CBD/THC variety self them and find 50% of the plants will be what you want, a mix of CBD/THC. (the rest will be high CBD 25% and high THC 25%) This is if you can determine which male and females have a 50/50 mix and use them to breed, analysis is the real problem. Also the new plants will need to be analyzed to determine which of the progeny are 50/50 or whatever it is you want.

The real problem is that how do you confirm the plant you have found / bred has high CBD and no THC? This is the basic problem.
Also do not believe that soil or light or anything else will increase the CBD level. CBD is controlled by the genetics of the plant, period."

Source: Sam the Skunkman

 

[Suby]

Some terminolgy and literature to work from

Some terminolgy and literature to work from

Marijuana

Cannabinoids (THC, CBD, CBN...)
The Active Ingredients Of Cannabis

Cannabis products include marijuana, hashish, and hashish oil.

THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) gets a user high, a larger THC content will produce a stronger high. Without THC you don't get high.

CBD (Cannabidiol) increases some of the effects of THC and decreases other effects of THC. High levels of THC and low levels of CBD contribute to a strong, clear headed, more energetic high.
Cannabis that has a high level of both THC and CBD will produce a strong head-stone that feels almost dreamlike. Cannabis that has low levels of THC and high levels of CBD produces more of a buzz or stoned feeling. The mind feels dull and the body feels tired.

CBN (Cannabinol) is produced as THC ages and breaks down, this process is known as oxidization. High levels of CBN tend to make the user feel messed up rather than high.
CBN levels can be kept to a minimum by storing cannabis products in a dark, cool, airtight environment. Marijuana should be dry prior to storage, and may have to be dried again after being stored somewhere that is humid.

THCV (Tetrahydrocannabivarin) is found primarily in strains of African and Asian cannabis. THCV increases the speed and intensity of THC effects, but also causes the high to end sooner. Weed that smells strong (prior to smoking) might indicate a high level of THCV.
CBC (Cannabichromene) is probably not psychoactive in pure form but is thought to interact with THC to enhance the high.
CBL (Cannabicyclol) is a degradative product like CBN. Light converts CBC to CBL.
If you are a grower, you can experiment with different strains of cannabis to produce the various qualities you seek. A medical user looking for something with sleep inducing properties might want to produce a crop that has high levels of CBD.
Another user looking for a more energetic stone will want to grow a strain that has high levels of THC and low levels of CBD. In general, Cannabis sativa has lower levels of CBD and higher levels of THC. Cannabis indica has higher amounts of CBD and lower amounts of THC than sativa. See marijuana strains.

For a more scientific description, see below for an excerpt from marijuana growers guide by Mel Frank.
Cannabis is unique in many ways. Of all plants, it is the only genus known to produce chemical substances known as herbal cannabinoids. These cannabinoids are the psychoactive ingredients of marijuana; they are what get you high, buzzed, or stoned. By 1974, there were 37 naturally occurring cannabinoids that had been discovered.
There are 3 types of cannabinoids:
--- Herbal: occur naturally only in the cannabis plant
--- Endogenous: produced naturally by humans and other animals
--- Synthetic: cannabinoids produced in a lab

Most of the cannabinoids appear in very small amounts (less than .01 percent of total cannabinoids) and are not considered psychoactive, or else not important to the high. Many are simply homologues or analogues (similar structure or function) to the few major cannabinoids which are listed.
There are several numbering systems used for cannabinoids. The system used here is based on formal chemical rules for numbering pyran compounds (any of a class of organic compounds of the heterocyclic series in which five carbon atoms and one oxygen atom are present in a ring structure). Another common system is used more by Europeans and is based on a monoterpenoid system which is more useful considering the biogenesis of the compound.

Tetrahydrocannabinol - THC
Delta 9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol - delta-9 THC is the main psychotomimetic (mindbending) ingredient of marijuana. Estimates state that 70 to 100 percent of the marijuana high results from the delta-9 THC present. It occurs in almost all cannabis in concentrations that vary from traces to about 95 percent of all the cannabinoids in the sample.
In very potent strains, carefully prepared marijuana can be 30 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight (seeds and stems removed from flowering buds). Buds are the popular name given to masses of female flowers that form distinct clusters.
Delta 8-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol - delta-8 THC is reported in low concentration, less than one percent of the delta-9 THC present. Its activity is slightly less than that of delta-9 THC. It may be an artefact of the extraction/analysis process. Almost everyone who uses the term THC, refers to delta-9 THC and delta-8 THC combined, as THC.

Cannabidiol - CBD

Cannabidiol - CBD also occurs in almost all strains. Concentration range from none, to about 95 percent of the total cannabinoids present. THC and CBD are the two most abundant naturally occurring cannabinoids. CBD is not psychotomimetic in the pure form, although it does have sedative, analgesic, and antibiotic properties.
In order for CBD to affect the high, THC must be present in quantities ordinarily psychoactive. CBD can contribute to the high by interacting with THC to potentiate (enhance) or antagonize (interfere or lessen) certain qualities of the high.
CBD appears to potentiate the depressant effects of THC and antagonize is excitatory effects. CBD also delays the onset of the high but can make it last considerably longer (as much as twice as long). The kind of grass that takes a while to come on but keeps coming on.
Opinions are conflicting as to whether it increases or decreases the intensity of the high, intensity and high being difficult to define. Terms such as knock-out or sleepy, dreamlike, or melancholic are often used to describe the high from grass with sizeable proportions of CBD and THC.
When only small amounts of THC are present with high proportions of CBD, the high is more of a buzz, and the mind feels dull and the body de-energized.

Cannabinol - CBN

Cannabinol - CBN is not produced by the plant per se. It is the degradation (oxidative) product of THC. Fresh samples of marijuana contain very little CBN but curing, poor storage, or processing such as when making hashish, can cause much of the THC to be oxidized to CBN. Pure forms of CBN have at most 10 percent of the psychoactivity of THC.
Like CBD, it is suspected of potentiating certain aspects of the high, although so far these effects appear to be slight. CBN seems to potentiate THC's disorienting qualities. One may feel more dizzy or drugged or generally messed up but not necessarily higher.
In fact, with a high proportion of CBN, the high may start well but feels as if it never quite reaches its peak, and when coming down one feels tired or sleepy. High CBN in homegrown grass is not desirable since it represents a loss of 90 percent of the psychoactivity of its precursor THC.

Tetrahydrocannabivarin - THCV

Tetrahydrocannabivarin - THCV or THV is the propyl homologue of THC. In the aromatic ring the usual five-carbon pentyl is replaced by a short three-carbon propyl chain. The propyl cannabinoids have so far been found in some strains originating from Southeast and Central Asia and parts of Africa.
In one study, THCV made up to 48.23 percent (Afghanistan strain) and 53.69 percent (South Africa) of the cannabinoids found. We've seen no reports on its activity in humans. From animal studies it appears to be much faster in onset and quicker to dissipate than THC. It may be the constituent of one or two toke grass, but its activity appears to be somewhat less than that of THC. Some people use the term THC to refer collectively to delta-9 THC, delta-8 THC, and THCV.
An interesting note is that people who have a prescription for Marinol (synthetic medical THC) may be tested for THCV. Marinol contains no THCV, if a person tests positive it means they have been using marijuana, or another cannabis product. This is usually sufficient grounds to terminate the prescription of a person who has signed a contract not to ingest any cannabis while taking Marinol.

Cannabichromene - CBC

Cannabichromene - CBC is another major cannabinoid, although it is found in smaller concentrations than CBD and THC. It was previously believed that is was a minor constituent, but more exacting analysis showed that the compound often reported as CBD may actually be CBC.
Relative to THC and CBD, its concentration in the plants is low, probably not exceeding 20 percent of total cannabinoids. CBC is believed not to be psychotomimetic in humans; however, its presence in plants is purportedly very potent has led to the suspicion that it may be interacting with THC to enhance the high.

Cannabicyclol - CBL

Cannabicyclol (CBL) is a degradative product like CBN. During extraction, light converts CBC to CBL. There are no reports on its activity in humans, and it is found in small amounts, if at all, in fresh plant material.
Cannabinoids And The High
The marijuana high is a complex experience. It involves a wide range of psychical, physical, and emotional responses. The high is a subjective experience based in the individual and one's personality, mood, disposition, and experience with the drug.
Given the person, the intensity of the high depends primarily on the amount of THC present in the marijuana. Delta-9 THC is the main ingredient of marijuana and must be present in sufficient quantities for a good marijuana high.
People who smoke grass that has very little cannabinoids other than delta-9 THC usually report that the high is very intense. Most people that don't smoke daily will feel something from a joint having delta-9 THC of 3 percent concentration to material.
Cannabis products having a THC concentration of 5-10 percent would be considered good, 10-25 percent would be considered very good, and over 25 percent would be excellent quality by daily users standards. In general, we use potency to mean the sum effects of the cannabinoids and the overall high induced.
Marijuana is sometimes rated more potent than the content of delta-9 THC alone would suggest. It also elicits qualitatively different highs. The reasons for this have not been sorted out. Few clinical studies with known combinations of several cannabinoids have been undertaken with human subjects.
So far, different highs and possibly higher potency seem to be due to the interaction of delta-9 THC and other cannabinoids (THCV,CBD,CBN, and possibly CBC). Except for THCV, in the pure form, these other cannabinoids do not have much psychoactivity.
Another possibility for higher potency is that homologues of delta-9 THC with longer side chains at C-3 (and higher activity) might be found in certain marijuana strains.
Compounds with longer side chains have been made in laboratories and their activity is sometimes much higher, with estimates over 500 times that of natural delta-9 THC.
The possibility that there are non-cannabinoids that are psychoactive or interacting with the cannabinoids has not been investigated in detail. Non-cannabinoids with biological activity have been isolated from the plants, but only in very small quantities.
None are known to be psychotomimetic. However, they may contribute to the overall experience in non-mental ways, such as the stimulation of the appetite.
Different blends of cannabinoids account for the different qualities of intoxication produced by different strains of cannabis. The intensity of the high depends primarily on the amount of delta-9 THC present and on the method of ingestion.
A complex drug such as marijuana affects the mind and body in many ways. Sorting out what accounts for what response can become quite complex.



Books

Cannabis and Cannabinoids:
Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutic Potential
Researchers from Europe, the US, Australia, and Brazil focus on the health aspects of cannabis and cannabinoids, mentioning social and political dimensions only when required within the medicinal discussion.
They consider botany, taxonomy, chemistry, and history; pharmacology and pharmacokinetics; indications for cannabis and THC; risks and side effects; other cannabinoids; and other constituents of cannabis.
Cannabis and Cannabinoids (paperback)
Cannabis and Cannabinoids (hardcover)



Marijuana Botany
Very good book about breeding marijuana and improving the quality and quantity of your crop. This has information from doctors, scientists, horticulturists, and other professionals. Collected from 50 years of laboratory and field research.
Not for the small time grower, this is more for commercial operations and advanced growers. Understanding this book requires that you have a some knowledge of horticultural and scientific terminology.
Marijuana Botany



Marijuana Chemistry:
Genetics, Processing And Potency
Explains the various cannabinoids that marijuana is made up of and how things like growing conditions, harvesting, processing, affect the potency of the final product.
Lots of tables, graphs, and other info. Recommended for the intermediate and expert marijuana grower, this is heavy on chemistry. If you do not have a very good grasp of science and chemistry this book is not for you.
Marijuana Chemistry



The Cannabis Breeder's Bible:
The Definitive Guide to
Marijuana Genetics, Cannabis Botany
and Creating Strains for the Seed Market
Very good book for the marijuana grower that would like to produce their own premium seed variety for personal use, or to market and sell worldwide. Contains photographs, illustrations, and interviews with breeders and seed bank professionals.
Covers such topics as genetics and breeding, the science of cannabis (DNA, evolution, etc), developing your own strain, international seed law issues, protecting your new breeds or strains from being produced and sold by others, shipping seeds and clones, breeding lab designs, product testing, common mutations, and more.
The Cannabis Breeder's Bible

Anyone have access to these books???

 

[Suby]

Another article...

Another article...

This Changes Everything

Cannabidiol Now!

By FRED GARDNER

Two plants strains relatively rich in cannabidiol (CBD) have been identified by an analytic test lab recently established to serve the medical cannabis industry in California. That's two major stories in one sentence. Let's take it from the bottom…
In December a lab in the East Bay started testing samples of cannabis for pathogenic mold and the presence of three cannabinoids –THC, CBD and CBN (cannabinol). THC is the main psychoactive compound in the cannabis plant. CBD is a cannabinoid with intriguing medical potential that gets bred out of cannabis when the breeder's goal is high THC content (as it has been in California for generations). CBN is a breakdown product of THC, an indicator of time in storage.
The lab has been testing about 10 samples a day provided by Oakland's Harborside Health Center, whose proprietor, Steve DeAngelo, helped plan and underwrite the venture. Results from the lab are posted on labels affixed to the strains in Harborside's display cases. Thus prospective buyers are informed that the sparkly nuggets of Raspberry Kush they are savoring in a Petri dish are free of dangerous aspergillus and contain 14.3% THC by weight. (Percent CBD and CBN almost always round off to zero. That's about to change.)
DeAngelo's primary goal is to impose safety standards industry-wide. "We're giving the analytic laboratory project a beta rollout," he says, "to find the problems and eliminate them before seriously soliciting participation from other dispensaries. Then we'll see who's serious about the medical paradigm."
Running the lab are two 30-something entrepreneurs, D.L. and A.D, who spent about a year setting it up and refining their procedures under the tutelage of a sympathetic university-connected chemist. D.L. operates the gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. A.L. is liaison to the dispensaries. They are planning to add tests for pesticides and certain terpenes –aromatic compounds that contribute to the effects of cannabis.
The advent of a test lab will change the medical cannabis industry in significant ways. For some growers and distributors thriving under the status quo, the documented presence of toxins in their products will force adjustments. The lab has found levels of mold and e coli that bear witness to unsanitary production methods. Deangelo says, "It can't be the whole family and friends sitting around with all the dogs in the living room. We're putting out the message: 'Clean up your trim areas, clean up your storage areas, do not have cannabis curing in an area that's exposed to animals. Set up a clean room and put on different clothes when you go in. Wear gloves. Wash your hands. In other words, remember that your product is medicine and treat it as medicine.'"
Harborside's savvy purchasing agent, Rick Pfrommer, notes that input from the lab has already led to growers cleaning up their acts. "Most of the people who have had mold in their cannabis are the people who didn’t have filters on their air intake. They may have had beautiful medicine, but they were pulling in whatever from the air. Now they've got filters."
When the lab begins testing for pesticides, indoor growers who have been using chemicals to kill mites and other pests will have to find organic alternatives or else peddle their wares to dispensaries that don't adopt safety standards. Expect some to argue that a little residual Avid on their cannabis buds isn't going to hurt anyone.
Eureka! (No, Laytonville!)
CBD predominates over THC in cannabis that grows wild (ditchweed) and plants grown for fiber (hemp). When plants are bred for psychoactivity CBD is replaced by THC because the same gene codes for one or the other cannabinoid. According to research done in Europe and Israel, CBD has anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsant, anti-psychotic, anti-oxidant, and neuroprotective properties. It also has a direct inhibitory effect on certain cancer cells.
Biologists at California Pacific Medical Center, Sean McAllister and Pierre Desprez, have determined that CBD inhibits breast cancer metastasis by suppressing a gene called Id-1. This winter they started working with mouse models of breast cancer, and if all goes well, they will be conducting clinical trial at CPMC in less than two years.
A British company, GW Pharmaceuticals, has developed a high-CBD strain that it mixes with a high-THC strain to make Sativex, a plant extract formulated for spraying under the tongue that has been approved in Canada and elsewhere to treat neuropathic pain. CBD evidently bolsters the pain-killing effects of THC while moderating its psychoactivity. In various studies, patients with severe pain have reported getting significantly more relief from Sativex, the mixture, than from GW's high-THC extract.
With a few notable exceptions the California cannabis samples tested to date have contained only trace amounts of CBD. The first notable exception exception occurred in late February when D.L. saw a spike on a computer-generated graph indicating a high level of CBD in one of the samples provided by Harborside. After some additional testing he confirmed that this strain, produced indoors in San Francisco, contained 4.2% CBD (and 8.9% THC) by weight.
DeAngelo promptly made arrangements with the grower to rev up production. Buds and clones from the strain of interest should be available at Harborside within months. "It would be immoral to try to hoard the genetic material," says Deangelo. As this story goes off to CounterPunch March 12, a second high-CBD strain has been identified, grown outdoors in Mendocino County. It is a little more than five percent CBD by weight.
Thus the medical marijuana movement/industry is entering a new stage. Growers will develop strains with higher CBD to THC ratios. Pro-cannabis doctors, who have long awaited high-CBD strains, are already planning rudimentary clinical trials to determine whether and in what ways high-CBD cannabis is beneficial.
Because CBD counters the anxiety induced by THC, a high-CBD strain might prove palatable to many people who dislike the way marijuana makes them feel. High-CBD strains might also enable patients who need megadoses to ingest them while remaining functional. According to Jeffrey Hergenrather, MD, "Patients with certain cancers, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease, seizure disorders... they all need to maintain a higher blood level of cannabinoids than is convenient with our high-THC strains. For them, development of a high-CBD strain could be a life or death matter."
Whatever the outcome of clinical trials involving CBD, the effort alone -the attempt to produce and evaluate less psychoactive strains of marijuans- will refute the image of stoners paying lip-service to medical use that has tarnished the industry. And if and when the effectiveness of high-CBD cannabis in treating, say, rheumatoid arthritis, can be established, a wave of older Californians will be asking their doctors if cannabis is right for them.
Fred Gardner edits O’Shaughnessy’s, the journal of cannabis in clinical practice. He can be reached at fred@plebesite.com

It seems testing and lab work are going to par for the course if we want herb form medecine (as opposed to pill form) to be widely available to use safely in a medical context.

Oh and I hope this is the right forum for this thread as I am not only covering genetics

 

[Suby]

This article is Cannabis Culture

The following medicinal marijuana info was provided by:
William L. Courtney, M.D.
Consulting in Endogenous and Exogenous Cannabinoids
Offices in Garberville, Willits and Mendocino
courtney@mcn.org
http://www.leavesofgrass.info

Green Vegetative Leaf

There are 66 different molecules in cannabis called phytocannabinoids or exogenous cannabinoids that mimic the endogenous cannabinoids synthesized by the body. The cannabinoids produced by the plant only have an effect because they bind to the body’s cannabinoid receptors. The cannabinoid profile in vegetative leaf provides a unique balance between CBD (CannaBiDiol) and THCA (TetraHydroCannabinol Acid) such that there is no net stimulation of the Central Nervous System CB1 Receptor. Stimulation of the 1st Cannabinoid Binding Receptor is associated with euphoria (good feeling) in some patients and dysphoria (bad feeling) in others. It is well known that CBD competitively binds with THC and if present moderates or blocks the effects of THC. CBD is found in higher proportion in the leaf.

Effects of Heating or Aging: The vegetative green leaf does not result in either euphoria or dysphoria unless the green leaf is heated or aged. In Europe, CBD is commercially converted into THC by the use of heat. In India, for thousands of years the leaf has been simmered then mashed and rolled into balls the size of marbles that are called Bhang. The strength of the psychoactive effect is regulated by whether the individual eats 1, 2 or 3. If fresh leaf is not continuously available, the leaf can be dried - but beware – with age the cannabinoid profile changes and a noticeable psychoactive effect can be noted by the 3rd to 4th month. The aged leaf can awaken the saturated user from a sound sleep of intoxication. The harvest trim leaf or shake cannot be substituted for the vegetative or water leaf.

Intestinal Absorbtion: The use of unheated fresh leaf allows for absorption from the intestines of cannabinoids over a period of several hours. With severe conditions grazing is better, i.e., a small amount of leaf every 3-4 hours.

The 21 Carbon Cannabinoids & Terpene: Fresh leaf includes several classes of delicate molecules. THCA/CBDA/CBCA/CBGA are all very heat sensitive, yet have unique medical properties that are lost upon heating. The Terpenes are small enough to volatize at room temperature and are thus responsible for the odor of cannabis. One of the 15 carbon terpenes has recently been shown to bind to and alter the function of the CB2 receptor. The 2nd Cannabinoid Binding Receptor or CB2 receptor is known to regulate or modulate the immune system. However, these terpenes can upset some individual’s stomachs. If this is a problem for you, then the green leaf can be dried and ground in a coffee grinder into cannabis flour to reduce the terpenes, then packed into 000 or triple X gel capsules. The capsules should then be stored in a dated container, kept in the refrigerator to prevent fungal growth and used within two weeks of making. For those intolerant to the terpenes of fresh leaf, two of the 000 sized capsules twice a day, is a good starting dose for mild to moderate inflammatory conditions, including arthritis.

Combining Fresh & Dried Leaf: If access to fresh leaf is restricted, then a portion of the fresh leaf can be dried and saved for the second week, while the fresh leaf is used for the first 5-7 days. The useful life of fresh leaf can be extended by storing the leaf with a moist paper towel in a sealed plastic bag. Note that otherwise, frost-free refrigerators will desiccate or suck the moisture out of the leaf.

Saturation vs. Clearance: The exogenous or phytocannabinoids are fat molecules that are stored in the adipose or fat tissue similar to the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, & K. It takes 4-8 weeks to saturate the fat tissue with phytocannabinoids. Conversely, it takes 4-8 weeks to clear the fat tissue of any traces of cannabis. Once saturated, the consumption of aged leaf, like heated leaf, can induce psychoactive effects.

Use of Fresh Leaf: Consume 3-5 fresh healthy leaves twice a day. Indica is best with vegetable juices; sativa is lighter and can be used with some fruit juices. The fresh leaf can be used in salsas, salads, smoothies, or blended in yogurt to make a dressing. Cannabis can also be combined with basil to make pesto or other raw food preparations.

Use of Vaporization to Increase Cannabidiol/CBD

Fractionating the Cannabinoids: THC turns to vapor at 157 Centigrade, while CBD vaporizes at 188 C; this difference can be used to fractionate or separate the different phytocannabinoids. In most local strains, the percent Weight to Weight of THC is 16-17% w/w, while the amount of CBD present is <1%. CBD is the sole anti-spasmodic, anxiolytic (Anti-Anxiety) & anti-psychotic agent currently identified in the plant. In addition, CBD provide analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. (emphasis *witchy's*)

Step 1) Preheating Cannabis: Cannabis can be preheated with a Heat Gun or vaporizer to lower the relative THC content, thereby allowing increased access to the CBD. Grind the cannabis to increase the surface area. The longer the ground cannabis is preheated, the lower the THC content. This will boost the relative CBD content. For the Volcano, setting 4 is approximately 166 C; once the Volcano is heated to temperature, then the blower can be turned on. Once the temperature drops too low, the blower is turned off to allow it to reheat. The finer the grind and the greater the number of preheating cycles used, the lower the THC content.

Step 2) Collecting CBD: After a sufficient number of preheating cycles, the Volcano temperature setting is increased to the 6 position or 190 C, which will then vaporize the CBD (188 C). This second High CBD fraction is then collected and used. IF there is too much THC left, then increase the number of preheat cycles to further lower the THC content. You can calibrate your heat gun at the office with a Fluke Digital Thermometer to identify the preheat and collection temperatures. The heat gun is more efficient at producing a constant temperature stream, allowing for the most rapid reduction in THC content. This preheated cannabis or HIGH CBD Cannabis can then be used with a vaporizer or by other means.

Eating Cannabis

The female bud can be rubbed across a keif screen to remove the trichomes from the plant material. These trichomes can then be added to yogurt and eaten. This eliminates the inhalation of products of combustion and thermal exposure that can cause bronchial irritation; however, oral use requires 3-5 times as much cannabis as smoking to reach the same blood level.

Tinctures of Cannabis:
Oral or Topical Applications

Leaf and/or Bud can be ground and soaked in alcohol (for days to weeks), filtered, then sprayed or rubbed on inflamed joints, muscle spasms or skin conditions. If edible alcohol is used, the tinctures can also be taken internally. Rubbing alcohol is poisonous and not to be consumed internally.

This post way followed up by another member who had some useful insight.

Well we ran some preliminary experiments on Friday at the Green Cross Soceity of B.C with the Volcano.
Dr Hornby reports these findings with a caution that they are merely pilot experiments, to find our way only.
Figure i put my foot in it by promising results, not thinking about the consequences that
the findings may bring. And now we're realizing that we may be opening up a whole new can of worms.

Firstly, we have known for some time that the Volcano does not deliver all of the THC, particularly at
the lower settings, of around 5 and 6. We know this since we use high-pressure liquid chromatography
(HPLC) to measure the amounts of the most abundant cannabinoids, that are present in the sample,
before and after vaporization. By measuring the THC, for example, left behind in the sample carcass,
we can determine the efficiency of the vaporizer setting, since we also know what we started
out with.

Since this is a study of heating cannabis we must consider a couple of things.
One is that THC, plus the other cannabinoids, are not active as they sit in nature.
For them to interact with the THC receptor, firstly they must be de-carboxylated or activated.
Meaning CO2, must be kicked off the parent molecules, that in the un de-carboxylated
form are acids, chemically speaking. De-carboxylation, in this case, is accomplished by heating,
which, in turn, excites the chemical bonds of the, for example, THC molecule causing it to release
carbon dioxide at the weakest bond. This, subsequently, activates the molecule, allowing receptor interaction.

If more heat is applied to the molecule, eventually it will reach its boiling point and enter the vapor state.
De-carboxylation occurs before evaporation and over a broader range of temperatures.
And is critical for understanding cannabinoid pharmacology. Therefore in vaporization we have a two-fold
process occurring that allows the medicine to be delivered. De-carboxylation, followed by evaporation.

When we run cannabinoids by HPLC we see the acids of CBD, CBN and THC, plus trace amounts
of these already de-carboxylated cannabinoids (alcohols as they're called, chemically). We normally total the acids with the alcohols to come up with total THC, CBD or CBN for the sample.

In the experiments discussed here we vaporized a cannabis sample that had already been shown
to contain an unusually high amount of THC, with relatively high CBD.
We ran three separate experiments at Volcano settings 6, 7.5 and 9. At each test, the same
weight of cannabis was placed in the volcano and two bags vapped for the same time period.
Following vaporization, the carcass (sample left behind), for each temperature setting was analyzed
for the three most abundant cannabinoids.

We will attempt to tabulate below our experimental results.


Volcano Setting THC remaining mg/g CBN remaining mg/g CBD remaining mg/g

6 260 0.05 0.6

7.5 245 0.05 0.6

9.0 75 0.05 0.15

With all HPLC analysis there is an error window associated with the quantification. This window is normally acceptable if it has a coefficient of variation of 15% or less. This is simply a statistical evaluation of the standard deviation or variation around the mean, divided by the mean and a percent value taken.
So with THC there is often an error window of plus or minus 2% around the measurement and for CBD and CBN
this is more like plus or minus 0.05%. To convert the above results to a percent value, simply divide by 10.

So, what do we learn from these results. Nothing about decarboxylation, since it's not presented here,
although much is gained from observing the chromatography (not shown), where a one to one decrease
of the cannabinoid acid and increase in the alcohol is seen. Nevertheless, in the table we are showing only
the de-carboxylated actives that are left behind.

As stated earlier, the cannabis sample used in this experiment tested particularly high in THC,
running at 260, + or - 40 mg/gram. As shown in the table, this did not change for setting 6 on the Volcano
and changed only slightly for setting 7.5. We only see a significant decrease in THC at setting 9.
These results also confirm earlier observations.

The boiling points of the three cannabinoids measured are as follows:

THC 200 C
CBD 190 C
CBN 185 C

We can see from our before and after sample, that CBN is virtually all gone at setting 6, leaving
only residual amounts. The THC, however, all remains at this setting. As does the CBD.
At setting 7.5 the THC is fully de-carboxylated, but still present to roughly 95% of its original value.
Interestingly, at this setting the CBD is only half de-carboxylated.

At setting 9, all three are fully de-carboxylated and have moved to the vapor state.
A small amount of CBD remains as does some THC.

We can conclude from these very preliminary experiments that with the Volcano at setting
6 all the CBN is gone along with the more volatile terpenes and aromatics. Yet at this
setting, although the THC and CBD are being activated they have still not received enough heat
to enter the vapor state. In addition, at setting 7.5, similar conditions hold, with the THC still
not evaporated. It's only at setting 9 that THC receives sufficient energy to become volatile.

That's it for today. And remember these results are preliminary.
We will continue to conduct more experiments on the Volcano, next
time focusing more on what happens to the CBD and at what setting.

Edited by Dragon 420 (02/14/09 10:53 AM)
_________________________
http://www.greencrossofbc.org/research.php

I know I am doing alot of cut and paste work here but I am trying to get feedback on the various approaches users are taking to maximize and understand CBD's.

I am getting the overall impression that some medical conditions favour high THC content while others favour CBD's, after doing allot of reading I have seen that insome cases high THC strains can have an affect on auto immune response which could be favorable to those with conditions like arthritis but may have less desirable effects in patients like myself who suffer from a leukimia type cancer, getting higher aamounts of CBD's seems to be a safer route.


I'm just getting my feet wet.

 

[grapepunched]

very interesting read. thank you suby/pops.

 

[loc]

I did alot of looking around on the subject about a month ago,and my conclusion is to just find a hemp strain,to get the cbds.Breeding it with something else,will lower the cbd levels,so just grow it out,and mix it with some High THC bud to smoke,or just injest the hemp,for the cbds,and smoke or injest some high thc bud along with it.I have alot of aches and pains,and would love to get some CBD relief.I just think mixing it would be the best.
In the quest for high THC strains,the cbd levels are way too low.Now,if I can find a good hemp strain.
I think this could help alot of people.

 

[medusrWA]

Austria's wild hemp has 10% CBD on average.

 

[elmanito]

We all go to Austria for a holiday this summer to collect samples if they are still around.

"One of the problems with breeding for cbd is that a 50/50 chemotype canot be true breeding."
Sam the Skunkman says:
"I have not found this to be true at all, you can take a 50/50 CBD/THC variety self them and find 50% of the plants will be what you want, a mix of CBD/THC. (the rest will be high CBD 25% and high THC 25%) This is if you can determine which male and females have a 50/50 mix and use them to breed, analysis is the real problem. Also the new plants will need to be analyzed to determine which of the progeny are 50/50 or whatever it is you want.

The real problem is that how do you confirm the plant you have found / bred has high CBD and no THC? This is the basic problem.
Also do not believe that soil or light or anything else will increase the CBD level. CBD is controlled by the genetics of the plant, period."

Source: Sam the Skunkman

The only method which is simple to use if you have a high CBD or high THC strain is the Thin Layer Chromnatographic.

Namaste

 

[Suby]

Thanks for contributing guys, I have been doing more reading and loc there is alot of articles advocating the same thing.
Also maing tinctures or oils from hemp extract the CBD's from the material so really one could mix hemp with marijuana 3:1 and end up with a mixture that is appropriate.


More reading for yall, I don't post links but have them in my favorites upon request, I just find it aa pain to check out the links when we can have them aall under one rooof so to speak.

Hemp Oil and Cancer

By Mark Sircus Ac., OMD
February 23, 2008



The American College of Physicians (ACP) issued a new policy statement last week endorsing medical marijuana use. The group is urging the government to reverse its ban on medical treatments using marijuana. "ACP encourages the use of non-smoked forms of THC (the main psychoactive element in marijuana) that have proven therapeutic value," the new policy statement said. The Philadelphia-based organization, the second largest doctors group in the United States, cited studies into marijuana’s medical applications such as treating severe weight loss associated with illnesses such as AIDS, and treating nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy for cancer patients.

Medical marijuana is becoming more and more associated with anti-carcinogenic effects, which are responsible in preventing or delaying the development of cancer. This means that cannabinoids offer cancer patients a therapeutic option in the treatment of highly invasive cancers. Before we look at the hard medical science that sustains these statements go to http://www.youtube.com/chrychek to see a series of videos that will convince you of the validity of these statements on cancer. The American College of Physicians wants it made legal as do millions of other people. If you or one of your loved ones every get cancer you will be wishing that the government would begin to listen to this medical organization.

12 Million new cases of Cancer Diagnosed in 2007 in the US. In addition Cancer also killed 8 million people worldwide in 2007
- American Cancer Society
After reading the science and watching this video series I am certain that any sane person with cancer or any late stage chronic disease will want free and legal access to hemp oil with a maximum concentration of THC, the active ingredient that is illegal in most places in the world. [ii]

The medical science is strongly in favor of THC laden hemp oil as a primary cancer therapy, not just in a supportive role to control the side effects of chemotherapy. The International Medical Verities Association is putting hemp oil on its cancer protocol. It is a prioritized protocol list whose top five items are magnesium chloride, iodine, selenium, Alpha Lipoic Acid and sodium bicarbonate. It makes perfect sense to drop hemp oil right into the middle of this nutritional crossfire of anti cancer medicines, which are all available without prescription.

Hemp oil has long been recognised as one of the most versatile and beneficial substances known to man. Derived from hemp seeds (a member of the achene family of fruits) it has been regarded as a superfood due to its high essential fatty acid content and the unique ratio of omega3 to omega6 and gamma linolenic acid (GLA) - 2:5:1. Hemp oil, is known to contain up to 5% of pure GLA, a much higher concentration than any other plant, even higher than spirulina. For thousands of years, the hemp plant has been used in elixirs and medicinal teas because of its healing properties and now medical science is zeroing in on the properties of its active substances.

Both the commercial legal type of hemp oil and the illegal THC laden hemp oil are one of the most power-packed protein sources available in the plant kingdom. Its oil can be used in many nutritional and transdermal applications. In other chapters in my Winning the War on Cancer book we will discuss in-depth about GLA and cancer and also the interesting work of Dr. Johanna Budwig. She uses flax seed oil instead of hemp oil to cure cancer - through effecting changes in cell walls - using these omega3 and omega6 laden medicinal oils.


Hemp oil can cheaply and effectively
deliver a knock out blow to ones cancer.

Actually there is another way to use medical marijuana without smoking the leaf. According to Dr. Tod H. Mikuriya, “The usual irritating and toxic breakdown products of burning utilized with smoking are totally avoided with vaporization. Extraction and inhaling cannabinoid essential oils below ignition temperature of both crude and refined cannabis products affords significant mitigation of irritation to the oral cavity, and tracheobronchial tree from pyrollytic breakdown products.[iii]


Most evaluations place the hot air gun style
vaporizer above other methods.

Dr. Mikuriya continues saying “The usual irritating and toxic breakdown products of burning utilized with smoking are totally avoided with vaporization. Extraction and inhaling cannabinoid essential oils below ignition temperature of both crude and refined cannabis products affords significant mitigation of irritation to the oral cavity, and tracheobronchial tree from pyrollytic breakdown products.”[iv]

Rick Simpson, the man in the above mentioned videos, has been making hemp oil and sharing it with friends and neighbors without charging for it. In small doses, he says, it makes you well without getting you high. "Well you can't deny your own eyes can you?" Simpson asks. "Here's someone dying of cancer and they're not dying anymore. I don't care if the medicine comes from a tomato plant, potato plant or a hemp plant, if the medicine is safe and helps and works, why not use it?" he asks.

When a person has cancer and is dying this question reaches a critical point. The bravery of Rick Simpson from Canada in showing us how to make hemp oil for ourselves offers many people a hope that should be increasingly appreciated as money dries up for expensive cancer treatments. We are going to need inexpensive medicines in the future and there is nothing better than the ones we can make reasonably cheaply ourselves.

For most people in the world it is illegal so the choice could come down to breaking the law or dying. There is no research to indicate what advantages oral use of hemp oil vs. vaporization but we can assume that advantage would be nutritional with oral intake. Dr. Budwig Below work would sustain this point of view especially for cancer patients.

The Science

According to Dr. Robert Ramer and Dr. Burkhard Hinz of the University of Rostock in Germany medical marijuana can be an effective treatment for cancer.[v] Their research was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute Advance Access on December 25th of 2007 in a paper entitled Inhibition of Cancer Cell Invasion by Cannabinoids via Increased Expression of Tissue Inhibitor of Matrix Metalloproteinases-1.

The biggest contribution of this breakthrough discovery, is that the expression of TIMP-1 was shown to be stimulated by cannabinoid receptor activation and to mediate the anti-invasive effect of cannabinoids. Prior to now the cellular mechanisms underlying this effect were unclear and the relevance of the findings to the behavior of tumor cells in vivo remains to be determined.
Regulatory agencies unfortunately are
unresponsive to new scientific evidence.


Marijuana cuts lung cancer tumor growth in half, a 2007 Harvard Medical School study shows.[vi] The active ingredient in marijuana cuts tumor growth in lung cancer in half and significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread, say researchers at Harvard University who tested the chemical in both lab and mouse studies.

This is the first set of experiments to show that the compound, Delta-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), inhibits EGF-induced growth and migration in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expressing non-small cell lung cancer cell lines. Lung cancers that over-express EGFR are usually highly aggressive and resistant to chemotherapy. THC that targets cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 is similar in function to endocannabinoids, which are cannabinoids that are naturally produced in the body and activate these receptors.

"The beauty of this study is that we are showing that a substance of abuse, if used prudently, may offer a new road to therapy against lung cancer," said Anju Preet, Ph.D., a researcher in the Division of Experimental Medicine. Acting through cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, endocannabinoids (as well as THC) are thought to play a role in variety of biological functions, including pain and anxiety control, and inflammation.

Researchers reported in the August 15, 2004 issue of Cancer Research, the journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, that marijuana's constituents inhibited the spread of brain cancer in human tumor biopsies.[vii] In a related development, a research team from the University of South Florida further noted that THC can also selectively inhibit the activation and replication of gamma herpes viruses. The viruses, which can lie dormant for years within white blood cells before becoming active and spreading to other cells, are thought to increase one's chances of developing cancers such as Kaposi's Sarcoma, Burkitt's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease.[viii]

In 1998, a research team at Madrid's Complutense University discovered that THC can selectively induce programmed cell death in brain tumor cells without negatively impacting surrounding healthy cells. Then in 2000, they reported in the journal Nature Medicine that injections of synthetic THC eradicated malignant gliomas (brain tumors) in one-third of treated rats, and prolonged life in another third by six weeks.[ix]

Led by Dr. Manuel Guzman the Spanish team announced they had destroyed incurable brain cancer tumors in rats by injecting them with THC. They reported in the March 2002 issue of "Nature Medicine" that they injected the brains of 45 rats with cancer cells, producing tumors whose presence they confirmed through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). On the 12th day they injected 15 of the rats with THC and 15 with Win-55,212-2 a synthetic compound similar to THC.[x]

Researchers at the University of Milan in Naples, Italy, reported in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics that non-psychoactive compounds in marijuana inhibited the growth of glioma cells in a dose-dependent manner, and selectively targeted and killed malignant cells through apoptosis. “Non-psychoactive CBD produce a significant anti-tumor activity both in vitro and in vivo, thus suggesting a possible application of CBD as an antineoplastic agent.”[xi]

The first experiment documenting pot's anti-tumor effects took place in 1974 at the Medical College of Virginia at the behest of the U.S. government. The results of that study, reported in an Aug. 18, 1974, Washington Post newspaper feature, were that marijuana's psychoactive component, THC, "slowed the growth of lung cancers, breast cancers and a virus-induced leukemia in laboratory mice, and prolonged their lives by as much as 36 percent."[xii]

Funded by the National Institute of Health to find evidence that marijuana damages the immune system, found instead that THC slowed the growth of three kinds of cancer in mice -- lung and breast cancer, and a virus-induced leukemia. The DEA quickly shut down the Virginia study and all further cannabis/tumor research even though the researchers "found that THC slowed the growth of lung cancers, breast cancers and a virus-induced leukemia in laboratory mice, and prolonged their lives by as much as 36 percent."

"Antineoplastic Activity of Cannabinoids," an article in a 1975 Journal of the National Cancer Institute reports, "Lewis lung adenocarcinoma growth was retarded by the oral administration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabinol (CBN)" -- two types of cannabinoids, a family of active components in marijuana. "Mice treated for 20 consecutive days with THC and CBN had reduced primary tumor size."
Marijuana relieves pain that narcotics like morphine and OxyContin
have hardly any effect on, and could help ease suffering from
illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes and cancer.[xiii]
According to Devra Davis in her book Secret History of the War on Cancer, 1.5 million lives have been lost because Americans failed to act on existing knowledge about the environmental causes of cancer. It is impossible to calculate the added deaths from suppressed ‘cancer cures’ but we do know of the terrible suffering of hundreds of thousands of people who have been jailed for marijuana use.

Hemp oil with THC included has the making of a primary cancer treatment, which even alone seems to have a great chance of turning the tide against cancer tumors. It has the added advantage of safety, ease of use, lack of side effects and low cost if one makes it oneself. Surrounded by other medicinal anti-cancer substances in a full protocol it’s hard to imagine anyone failing and falling in their war on cancer.

THC should be included in every cancer protocol.
Sodium bicarbonate is another excellent anti tumor substance that reduces tumors but is much more difficult to administer than THC hemp oil. Cannabinoids are able to pass through all barriers in the body like Alpha Lipoic Acid so simple oral intake is sufficient. With bicarbonate we need intravenous applications and often even this is not sufficient, often we have to use catheters and few doctors in the world are willing to administer this way.

In the end all cancer treatments that are not promoted by mainstream oncology are illegal. No licensed doctor is going to claim that are curing cancer with sodium bicarbonate though they will treat people with cancer explaining they are balancing pH or some other metabolic profile with this common emergency room medicine found also most kitchens of the world. More than several states have passed laws making medical marijuana legal but the federal government will not relax and let people be free to choose their treatments even if their lives depend on it.

Davis notes that the cowardice of research scientists, who publish thoroughly referenced reports but pull their punches at the end, by claiming that more research needs to be done before action can be taken. Statements like these are exploited by industry that buys time to make much more money. It is a deliberate attempt that creates wholesale public doubt from small data gaps and remaining scientific uncertainties.

They have done that with everything right up to and including sunlight. Everything is thought to be dangerous except the pharmaceutical drugs which are the most dangerous substances of all. Stomach wrenching chemotherapy and the death principle of radiation are legal yet safe THC laden hemp oil is not.

It is legal for doctors to attack people with their poisons but you can go to jail for trying to save yourself or a loved one from cancer with the oil of a simple garden weed. Our civilization has put up with this insanity but there is a great price being paid. In a mad medical world people die that need not and this is a terrible sadness that has destroyed the integrity and ethics of modern medicine.

The science for the use of hemp oil is credible, specific fact-based, and is documented in detail.[xiv] There is absolutely no reason to not legalize medical marijuana and create an immediate production and distribution of THC hemp oil to cancer patients. Unfortunately we live in a world populated with governments and medical henchmen who would rather see people die cruel deaths then have access to a safe and effect cancer drug.

Meanwhile the Food and Drug Administration approved Genentech’s best-selling drug, Avastin, as a treatment for breast cancer, in a decision, according to the New York Times, “that appeared to lower the threshold somewhat for approval of certain cancer drugs. The big question was whether it was enough for a drug temporarily to stop cancer from worsening — as Avastin had done in a clinical trial — or was it necessary for a drug to enable patients to live longer, which Avastin had failed to do. Oncologists and patient advocates were divided, in part because of the drug’s sometimes severe side effects.”[xv]

The differences between Avastin and hemp oil are huge. First Avastin will earn Genentech hundreds of millions where THC hemp oil will earn no one anything. Second there are no severe or even mild side effects to taking hemp oil and lastly it is not a temporary answer but a real solution. Certainly hemp oil will ensure a longer life.



Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico and recent candidate for president of the United States ordered the state Health Department in 2007 to resume planning of a medical marijuana program despite the agency's worries about possible federal prosecution. However, the governor stopped short of committing to implement a state-licensed production and distribution system for the drug because State employees could face federal prosecution for implementing the law, which took effect in July. Now that he is being pursued perhaps for the office of vice-president[xvi] things could get interesting on a federal level. We can only hope but for now to get THC hemp oil one would have to grow the plants and make the oil oneself. It is not too difficult to do it seems but it is not exactly the safest thing because of laws and the cooking off of the oils.

So this article does NOT support the idea that it lowers immune threshold, that would mean that if someone like myself could find a good balance between hemp and MJ then a quality oil could be made that would be safe, honestly the more I read the more I think weeed will be grood as a part of my treatment, it's just a shame doctors and researches can't get their collective shit together. It sucks that I am still not 100% convinced that it won't affect my immune system negatively, it's hard to gamble with close to 3 months of hospital time and anothe 6-18 months of outpatient time. The specific nature of my cancer is what has me hung up.

There is also the fact that my cancer emerged after a 6+ week hiatus from all forms of cannabis use, my MJ use could very well have kept this existing virus/cancer at bay until I quit but on the fllipside not having ever used cannabis my own immune system might have been enough to keep me healthy.

Wrapping my mind around this little nugget has definately got me on the fence.

Peace

 

[Vetus Fossor]

Without one of those fancy gas testing thingys, I believe it's going to be hit or miss as far as finding a cbd strain. There is a company in Amsterdam, I believe, that sells a kit that shows the presence of cbd but they are hard to get in touch with and want a large order, if I recall what Pops has told me correctly.
But these are just small stumbling blocks. We can do this and I hope before GW comes out with their meds based on cbd. I feel it would be another roadblock in our way towards legalization.
I'm sure I got some of this mixed up in my old feeble brain and look forward to be corrected, and punished, by Pops.
Hang in there, Suby. We got your back.

 

[kno3brock]

According to this article:

http://www.alternet.org/drugreporte...lab_the_future_of_legitimate_pot/?page=entire

Harborside in Oakland, CA is testing for THC, CBD, and mold using a GC and bacteria tests for the molds. They say they test all samples that come into their disp and independent growers can pay $100 to test samples- if I remember right.

 

[deepchunk]

hey suby good info looks like the old strains have it and the old stash always did it for me unlike some of these strains now a days leaves me schratchin my head .............

 

[K.J]

Good stuff Suby! Thanks for bringing it all under one roof.

 

[Captain420]

Use of Vaporization to Increase Cannabidiol/CBD

Fractionating the Cannabinoids: THC turns to vapor at 157 Centigrade, while CBD vaporizes at 188 C; this difference can be used to fractionate or separate the different phytocannabinoids. In most local strains, the percent Weight to Weight of THC is 16-17% w/w, while the amount of CBD present is <1%. CBD is the sole anti-spasmodic, anxiolytic (Anti-Anxiety) & anti-psychotic agent currently identified in the plant. In addition, CBD provide analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. (emphasis *witchy's*)

Step 1) Preheating Cannabis: Cannabis can be preheated with a Heat Gun or vaporizer to lower the relative THC content, thereby allowing increased access to the CBD. Grind the cannabis to increase the surface area. The longer the ground cannabis is preheated, the lower the THC content. This will boost the relative CBD content. For the Volcano, setting 4 is approximately 166 C; once the Volcano is heated to temperature, then the blower can be turned on. Once the temperature drops too low, the blower is turned off to allow it to reheat. The finer the grind and the greater the number of preheating cycles used, the lower the THC content.

Step 2) Collecting CBD: After a sufficient number of preheating cycles, the Volcano temperature setting is increased to the 6 position or 190 C, which will then vaporize the CBD (188 C). This second High CBD fraction is then collected and used. IF there is too much THC left, then increase the number of preheat cycles to further lower the THC content. You can calibrate your heat gun at the office with a Fluke Digital Thermometer to identify the preheat and collection temperatures. The heat gun is more efficient at producing a constant temperature stream, allowing for the most rapid reduction in THC content. This preheated cannabis or HIGH CBD Cannabis can then be used with a vaporizer or by other means.
I'm just getting my feet wet.

Anyone tried this or do it on a regular basis? I stumbled upon a similar method on my own and found the effects different than that from other methods. Basically, I used a good old 60 watt lightbulb with a pinch of super-fine ground up plant material and then heated with a gas burner from the stove, probably using longer heating each time until the taste hit burn popcorn and then stopped. While this looks like tweaker territory, I found it had great medicinal effects. I think it let me control the heat much more than with an electric vape.

 

[N. Accumbens]

CtrlCCtrlV...ahhh forget it dwlnd txt....

Great work to all of you...there is nothing but great info here...a pleasure to see threads like this!!!

Peace
NAcc

 

[grasspass]

I think the thing to do is have 2 types of plants growing. THC types and separate CBD types. That's what Sativex company does. Don't try to breed one type that has both CBD and THC. Minnesota still has a lot of wild hemp, even though it is slowly being eradicated.

 

[TronCarter]

Anyone tried this or do it on a regular basis? I stumbled upon a similar method on my own and found the effects different than that from other methods. Basically, I used a good old 60 watt lightbulb with a pinch of super-fine ground up plant material and then heated with a gas burner from the stove, probably using longer heating each time until the taste hit burn popcorn and then stopped. While this looks like tweaker territory, I found it had great medicinal effects. I think it let me control the heat much more than with an electric vape.

Just one question...do you think the manufacturers of lightbulbs make any effort to make the insides of those lightbulbs nontoxic or foodsafe, especially when heated? I'm not doubting that it got you high, but "homemade lightbulb vaporizer" and "medicinal" do not belong in the same post imo.