Curr Opin Investig Drugs. 2002 Mar; 3(3): 437-40.

Cannabis: old medicine with new promise for neurological disorders.

Carter GT, Weydt P.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98531, USA. gtcarter@u.washington.edu

Marijuana is a complex substance containing over 60 different forms of cannabinoids, the active ingredients. Cannabinoids are now known to have the capacity for neuromodulation, via direct, receptor-based mechanisms at numerous levels within the nervous system. These have therapeutic properties that may be applicable to the treatment of neurological disorders; including anti-oxidative, neuroprotective, analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions; immunomodulation, modulation of glial cells and tumor growth regulation. This article reviews the emerging research on the physiological mechanisms of endogenous and exogenous cannabinoids in the context of neurological disease.