Abuse of Cannabinoids

Year 2017, Volume: 17 Issue: 4, 293 - 299, 20.12.2017

Halil Kara

https://doi.org/10.17098/amj.364169

Abstract

Cannabis sativa, also known as Indian
hemp or cannabis, which has been used for centuries for therapeutic and
pleasure purposes, contains compounds called cannabinoids. Tetrahydrocannabinol
which has psychoactive effect is the key component of this plant. Cannabis
(marijuana), which has sedative, cognitive dysfunction, short-term memory
impairment, deterioration in time perception effects has been widely used for
many years as a drug and pleasurable substance. In recent years, synthetic
cannabinoids produced in the laboratory have been used increasingly. These
highly potent addictive compounds have been synthesized under the name
"JWH substances" in the 1990s by John William Huffman et al.
Nowadays, known as substances such as "Bonzai, Spice, K2 Jamaican
Gold" are obtained by dissolving synthetic cannabinoids in a solvent and by
spraying them on various herbal mixtures. These substances are marketed in the
form of cigarettes, pipes or tea and cause serious incidents resulting in
poisoning or death. Cannabinoids are also found endogenously in the human body
and play a role in the regulation of various physiological events such as the
immune system, appetite, pain, pleasure, mood and memory. Endogenous
cannabinoids are arachidonic acid metabolism products. Endogenous cannabinoids
such as 2-arachidonyl glycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (arachidonyl ethanolamide)
act by binding to cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2).

Cannabinoids are not only used abusively, but also for the treatment of various
diseases or alleviation of symptoms. Today, there are FDA-approved cannabinoid
analogues to reduce nausea and vomiting in cancer chemotherapy, to increase appetite
in AIDS patients, and to aid in

the treatment of chronic pain. There are also studies showing that regulation
of the cannabinoid system may be beneficial in neurodegenerative diseases,
postmenopausal osteoporosis, cancer, obesity, diabetes, liver diseases,
cardiometabolic complications and alcohol-drug addiction.

Keywords

Cannabinoids, Bonzai, tetrahydrocannabinol, dependence

Kannabinoidlerin Kötüye Kullanımı

Abstract

Yüzyıllardır tedavide
ve keyif verici amaçla kullanılan Hint keneviri veya esrar adıyla bilinen
“Cannabis sativa”, içeriğinde kannabinoidler denilen bileşenleri
barındırmaktadır. Psikoaktif etkili tetrahidrokannabinol (THC), bu bitkinin
temel bileşenidir. Sedasyon, kognitif

disfonksiyon, kısa süreli hafızada bozulma, zaman değerlendirmesinde değişiklik
gibi etkileri olan esrar bitkisi (marihuana) yıllardır uyuşturucu ve keyif
verici olarak yaygın biçimde kullanılmaktadır. Son yıllarda ise laboratuvar
ortamında üretilen sentetik kannabinoidler (SK), giderek artan bir biçimde
kullanıma girmiştir. Bağımlılık potansiyeli oldukça yüksek olan bu bileşikler
1990'lı yıllarda John William Huffman ve arkadaşları tarafından “JWH maddeleri”
adıyla sentezlenmiştir. Günümüzde “Bonzai, Spice, K2, Jamaican Gold” gibi isimlerle
bilinen maddeler, sentetik kannabinoidlerin bir solventte çözülüp çeşitli
bitkisel karışımlara püskürtülmesiyle elde edilmiştir. Bu maddeler sigara, pipo
ya da çay şeklinde pazarlanmakta ve zehirlenme veya ölümle sonuçlanan ciddi
vakalara neden olmaktadır. Kannabinoidler insan vücudunda endojen olarak da
bulunur ve immün sistem, iştah, ağrı, zevk hissi, duygu durum ve hafıza gibi
çeşitli fizyolojik olayların düzenlenmesinde rol oynar. Endojen kannabinoidler
araşidonik asit metabolizması ürünleridir. 2-araşidonil gliserol (2-AG) ve
anandamid (araşidonil etanolamid) gibi endojen kannabinoidler kannabinoid
reseptörlerine (CB1 ve CB2) bağlanarak etki gösterir. Kannabinoidler kötüye
kullanılan maddelerden olmasının yanı sıra çeşitli hastalıkların tedavisinde
veya semptomların hafifletilmesinde de kullanılmaktadır. Günümüzde kanser
kemoterapisinde bulantı ve kusmayı azaltmak, AIDS hastalarında iştahı artırmak
ve kronik ağrı tedavisine yardımcı olmak amacıyla FDA tarafından onaylanmış
kannabinoid analogları bulunmaktadır. Ayrıca kannabinoid sistemin
regülasyonunun nörodejeneratif hastalıklarda, postmenopozal osteoporoz, kanser,
obezite, diyabet, karaciğer hastalıkları, kardiyometabolik komplikasyonlar,
alkol-ilaç bağımlılığı gibi hastalıklarda faydalı olabileceğini gösteren
çalışmalar bulunmaktadır.

Keywords

Kannabinoidler, Bonzai, tetrahidrokannabinol, bağımlılık

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