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Ahmed Z. Cannabinoids: Do they have the potential to treat the symptoms of multiple sclerosis? World J Neurol 2013; 3(4): 87-96 [DOI: 10.5316/wjn.v3.i4.87]
World J Neurol. Dec 28, 2013; 3(4): 87-96 Published online Dec 28, 2013. doi: 10.5316/wjn.v3.i4.87
Cannabinoids: Do they have the potential to treat the symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
Zubair Ahmed
Zubair Ahmed, Neurotrauma and Neurodegeneration Section, School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
Author contributions: Ahmed Z participated in research design, conducted experiments, performed data analysis and wrote the manuscript.
Supported by The University of Birmingham
Correspondence to: Dr. Zubair Ahmed, Neurotrauma and Neurodegeneration Section, School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Institute of Biomedical Research (West), Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom. z.ahmed.1@bham.ac.uk
Telephone: +44-121-4148859 Fax: +44-121-4148867
Received: May 8, 2013 Revised: September 24, 2013 Accepted: October 16, 2013 Published online: December 28, 2013 Processing time: 252 Days and 19.6 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system and causes disability, neuropathic pain, spasticity and tremor in affected patients. Although illegal, users of cannabis report relief from pain and spasticity, probably due to the endogenous cannabinoid system that exists. Cannabinoid receptor type-1 (CB1)-deficient mice accrue greater levels of neurodegeneration and poorly tolerate inflammatory and excitotoxic insults after immune attack in a model of MS, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. Treatment of animals affected by experimental allergic uveitis (EAU) with CB1 agonists also provided significant neuroprotection from the consequences of EAU, suggesting that cannabinoids may slow down neurodegeneration in MS.
