Can Marijuana Inhibit Alzheimer’s Disease ?

Liz Lewis — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:08:17 +0000

The Scripps Research Institute scientists have discovered that tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana inhibits the formation of amyloid plaque, a primary pathological marker for Alzheimer’s disease.

The study, using both computer modeling and biochemical assays, found that THC inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). AChe works as a “molecular chaperone” and speeds up the creation of amyloid plaque in the brains of Alzheimer victims.

As THC seems to be a strong inhibitor of these plaques, it could well be that it could provide therapeutic treatment for the symptoms and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

While Scripps Research scientists are quick to state that they are not advocating the use of marijuana, they do say that “…these findings offer convincing evidence that THC possesses remarkable inhibitory qualities, especially when compared to AChE inhibitors currently available to patients,”