Decades of research performed by research labs and universities across the world create a strong case for the medicinal benefits of cannabis. According to a report published by CNN, medical marijuana is currently being used to treat several ailments in the United States, including epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, Crohn’s Disease, multiple sclerosis and cancer. Barriers to further research are being swept away by state and federal legislatures at a surprising rate – bipartisan cannabis legislation is currently active in the House and the Senate – it’s only a matter of time before new medical applications for cannabis come to light.
One discovery that is sure to get more attention as opposition to cannabis research continues to erode is the application of medical marijuana as a means of supplement the healing of bone fractures. A study lead by professor Yankel Gabet of Tel Aviv University’s Bone Research Laboratory have found results in animal trials that suggest cannabis can help facilitate bone formation and limit bone loss, said The Washington Post. A closer look at these initial results reflect the extensive and versatile application opportunities for cannabis.
Lab results with animals reveals need for human trials
The Tel Aviv team injected two groups of rats, one with both cannabidiol and the other with a mixture of cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol, according to Medical News Today. In the cannabidiol-only group, the Tel Aviv team found that the introduction of CBD helped to stabilize bones during the healing process and increase their durability once the healing process was complete. As a result, Gabet recommended that further trials be run in order to determine the treatment’s viability as an option for human trials.
Cannabidiol shown to encourage the synthesis of collagen
Gabel and his team’s research was originally published in the May 2015 issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The report noted that cannabidiol was successful in encouraging the healing of fractures by enhancing key biomechanical functions. CBD was shown to serve as a catalyst for the production of lysine hydroxylase, an enzyme necessary for the crosslinking and stabilization of collagen. The Bone Research Laboratory took advantage of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to confirm the improved ratio of collagen crosslink ratio as a result of exposure to cannabidiol.
Lead researcher describes medicinal properties of cannabis as undeniable
Following the publication of his work, Dr. Gabel has expressed passionate beliefs about the possibility of more dedicated cannabis research. According to Tel Aviv University, he noted that the “…clinical potential of cannabinoid-related compounds is simply undeniable” and that cannabidiol acts as an anti-inflammatory with no psychoactivity. These valuable properties could help to improve the experience of thousands of hospital patients currently suffering bone loss or fracture damage.
Furthermore, the other medical benefits of cannabis, including the treatment of chronic pain, could be of great use to patients with bone injuries as well. Additional trials should help to establish how cannabis can be incorporated into full recovery regimens for patients with serious fractures.
