Cannabis has known anti-inflammatory properties. A group of researchers from UCSD published a study, Recent cannabis use in HIV is associated with reduced inflammatory markers in CSF and blood. They measured a variety of inflammation markers in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of people with HIV.
They showed that “Recent cannabis use was associated with lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers, both in CSF and blood, but in different patterns. These results are consistent with compartmentalization of immune effects of cannabis. The principal active components of cannabis are highly lipid soluble and sequestered in brain tissue; thus, our findings are consistent with specific anti-neuroinflammatory effects that may benefit HIV neurologic dysfunction.”
Translating this into English, smoking pot reduces inflammation not only in the body but also in the brain. Not all substances reach the brain because of the so-called blood-brain barrier. But the two main ingredients of marijuana – THC and CBD – easily dissolve in fat which allows their entry into the brain.
Obviously, not all of the effects of marijuana are beneficial. The most harmful is the inhalation of smoke which causes lung damage. Vaping medical-grade marijuana or taking it by mouth is much safer.
I’ve been prescribing medical marijuana for the past 6 years since it became legal in NY. In NY patients have a choice of capsules taken by mouth, tincture drops placed under the tongue, or vaping. I find it particularly useful for symptoms associated with migraines more than the actual pain – nausea, anxiety, and insomnia. For some, it relieves pain as well.
Marijuana seems particularly effective for pain in the elderly. One of the most dramatic responses I’ve observed was in a 95-year-old woman with severe arthritis pain. She was mentally sharp but upset about her inability to go outside and get around on her own. A small amount of marijuana produced a greater than 80% reduction in her pain. The anti-inflammatory effect of cannabis reported in the current paper could be the explanation of why it works better for arthritis pain than migraines. Inflammation does occur during a migraine process but to a lesser degree and of a different type than in arthritis.
