title: Role of cannabis in digestive disorders.
abstract: Cannabis sativa, a subspecies of the Cannabis plant, contains aromatic hydrocarbon compounds called cannabinoids. [INCREMENT]-Tetrahydrocannabinol is the most abundant cannabinoid and is the main psychotropic constituent. Cannabinoids activate two types of G-protein-coupled cannabinoid receptors: cannabinoid type 1 receptor and cannabinoid type 2 receptor. There has been ongoing interest and development in research to explore the therapeutic potential of cannabis. [INCREMENT]-Tetrahydrocannabinol exerts biological functions on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Cannabis has been used for the treatment of GI disorders such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. The endocannabinoid system (i.e. endogenous circulating cannabinoids) performs protective activities in the GI tract and presents a promising therapeutic target against various GI conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (especially Crohn's disease), irritable bowel syndrome, and secretion and motility-related disorders. The present review sheds light on the role of cannabis in the gut, liver, and pancreas and also on other GI symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, anorexia, weight loss, and chronic abdominal pain. Although the current literature supports the use of marijuana for the treatment of digestive disorders, the clinical efficacy of cannabis and its constituents for various GI disorders remains unclear.
authors: aDepartment of Internal Medicine, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon bDepartment of Internal Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA cLU-3, Pitampura, New Delhi, India.
authors: Hemant
authors: H
authors: Goyal
authors: Umesh
authors: U
authors: Singla
authors: Urvashi
authors: U
authors: Gupta
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: May
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D000855:Anorexia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D002188:Cannabis; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D063388:Endocannabinoids / Q000378:metabolism; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism; D064086:Medical Marijuana / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009325:Nausea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid / Q000378:metabolism; D014839:Vomiting / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D063388:Endocannabinoids; D064086:Medical Marijuana; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D013759:Dronabinol