The Importance of Medical Cannabis Oil

The Cannabis plant has been used medicinally for about 5,000 years and was prescribed by doctors in the US up until 1942 when it was then made illegal.

Its most popular uses have been for the treatment of pain, nausea and vomiting. This is perhaps what it is best known for even today – its popularity for reducing the side effects of chemotherapy a plus for cancer patients.

Medical Cannabis oil came under the spotlight in 2013 when a child named Charlotte Figi was given CBD oil (a non-psychoactive derivative of Cannabis oil) to successfully treat the seizures she suffered up to 300 times a week. Her seizures dropped to 2-3 per month and the attention her case received worldwide helped to change the conversation around the use of medical Cannabis oil for a variety of ailments.

We know this much to be true - we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of the medical potential of the Cannabis plant.

Medical Cannabis is used for treating a variety of diseases and conditions. Technically there is no difference between medicinal and recreational Cannabis, however if Cannabis is taken for medicinal reasons, always be sure to use the highest quality product – for example, it should be farmed using chemical-free and organic practices wherever possible and should be lab-tested to ensure it is safe.

For more information about Cannabis we have tons of great information in our blog on everything you need to know about CBD oil in South Africa. 

Cannabinoids in medical Cannabis

The Cannabis plant contains over 100 different active compounds called cannabinoids, each having a different effect on the human body. The most well-known of the cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). These are the compounds most used for their medicinal properties.

THC is psychoactive and produces the high sensation associated with Cannabis. CBD is non-psychoactive.

Amongst many other reasons, THC may be used to ease pain, nausea and inflammation while CBD may be used to ease pain, inflammation, sleep disorders and anxiety.

Cannabinoids are similar to the chemicals in our bodies called endocannabinoids that are involved in regulating appetite, memory, movement and pain. 

The science behind medical Cannabis oil

The endocannabinoid system, which was an unknown part of the body’s functions, up until its recent discovery in 1988, is responsible for regulating immune response, communications between cells, appetite, metabolism and memory.

It is made up of a collection of receptors as well as specialised lipids and enzymes that help to regulate basic functions and respond to illness or imbalance. This is done by helping to balance and maintain homeostasis. In this way, the endocannabinoid system helps your body to function at its optimal condition.

The cannabinoid compounds in the Cannabis plant connect with the endocannabinoid system’s special receptors and influence their behaviour. These receptors are found in your brain and your immune system. Exactly how this process works is still largely unknown, and further research is needed.