Promoting Health Through the Endocannabinoid System
Traditional, Complimentary, Integrative and Alternative Medicine (TCIAM)
Promoting Health Through the Endocannabinoid System
Traditional, Complimentary, Integrative and Alternative Medicine (TCIAM)
TCIAM "tee-see-um"
Quick History Lesson About Traditional Medicine
Traditional medicine uses the knowledge and beliefs of incorporating plant, animal, mineral based properties and in many cases, spiritual therapies (prayers, meditation…), manual techniques (chiropractic, kinesiology…), and exercises as a form of health practices. Traditional medicine (TM) has been dated back at least 5,000 years through written records and archeological studies have shown that the practice of herbal medicine dates as far back as 60,000 years ago in Iraq. Many conventional and pharmaceutical drugs are derived directly from both nature and traditional medicine. According to the World Health Organization, 75% of the world’s populations are using plant derived compounds as their basic healthcare needs.
For more than 3,500 years, most traditional medicine health practitioners have followed old and ancient manuscripts that leave many experts and scientists baffled and bewildered with their form of the human body, unable to literally take the written words, it’s left up to chance to rely upon someone else to interpret its true meaning. Around the world, there are at least 8 types of traditional medicines: 1) Traditional Chinese Medicine 2) Ayurveda 3) Unani Medicine 4) Kampo 5) Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) 6) Traditional Aboriginal Medicine 7) Traditional Medicine in Africa and 8) Russian Herbal Medicine.
Modernizing Traditional Medicine
Primary care, with its emphasis on comprehensive, person-centered care and family and community orientation, has a central role in integrating care along the integration of traditional medicine for the wellness of personal care. In many countries, primary care is a natural hub for integration with traditional medicine. TCIAM is the utilization of traditional medicine and conventional medicine to work effectively side by side in the health care system.
TCIAM takes traditional and complementary medicines to realize their potential in primary health care and health equity. TCIAM is an evidence-based approach and considers this to be an important step. The evidence can guide decisions around effective modalities of traditional medicine as well as the best methods for integration.
In order to further promote the development of modern medical research on natural products, humans have to face up to various difficulties and challenges. Valuable information on natural products and TMs is mixed in a large number of documents, data, and useless rumors. Furthermore, one plant or formula of natural products and traditional medicines contains a large number of chemical constituents, including active, invalid, and possible synergistic components (cannabimimetic dose layering). Therefore, great effort has been made to remove the dross (something regarded as worthless; rubbish) and take the essence—precious experience of natural products and traditional medicines.
Endocannabinoid System
All in all, the Endocannabinoid System (ECS or ES) plays a role in many cognitive and physiological processes, and is responsible for maintaining homeostasis, or a stable, well-functioning internal bodily environment. It wasn’t until scientists started studying effects of cannabis that they discovered this biochemical communication system in the human body. And now it’s thought to be one of the most important physiological systems involved in maintaining our health. This incredible system is made up of endocannabinoid receptors that respond to cannabinoid compounds (like CBN, CBC, CBD…), which can be found in cannabis and a number of other plants. Endocannabinoid receptors are found throughout our bodies — in our brains, immune cells, connective tissues, glands and organs. It’s these cannabinoid receptors, which are found in all vertebrate species, which allow for a variety of physiological processes to take place within the body. So far, researchers have identified two types of cannabinoid receptors — CB1 receptors, which are present in our connective tissues, glands, organs, gonads and nervous system, and CB2 receptors, which are found in the immune system. And although thousands of studies have been conducted on the role of cannabinoids in the body, scientists believe that we are just beginning to scratch the surface.
ECS Shows Great Promise for Future Therapeutics
Cannabimimetic compounds are becoming common in treating medical conditions. Since there is a definite lack of conclusive data on efficiency and side effects of cannabinoids in clinical conditions, treatment with cannabis or its products have been studied with much caution (which is the main reason why scant information has been produced). The ECS has been shown to influence a range of CNS diseases as detailed in this review and numerous other systemic pathologies as well. Since the discovery of the endocannabinoid system, there has been a major surge in publications on medical cannabis, cannabinoid-based therapeutics, and cannabinoid receptor pharmacology. These studies have aided greatly in deciphering the endocannabinoid system in the molecular and the physiological realms. Recent studies have brought to light the versatility and malleability of context-dependent CB1R signaling. Identifying factors and conditions that could regulate CB1R expression and CNR1gene expression could therefore help circumvent the need for direct CB1R agonists/antagonists.
Cannabimimetic Therapy
Cannabimimetics are the compounds that mimic cannabinoids, that can bind to cannabinoid receptors and affect the endocannabinoid system. Cannabinoids (or presumed synonyms such as cannabinols or cannabis-like agents) have been variously defined in botanical, chemical, or pharmacological terms, with unfortunate consequences. Botanical definitions include inactive substances such as cannabigerol, as well as alkaloids and other secondary constituents of Cannabis sativa, but exclude synthetics such as levonantradol and nabilone. Chemical definitions include inactive close analogs of THC but exclude a growing number of substances structurally remote from THC that share its actions. Pharmacological definitions have depended on relatively nonspecific or vague behavioral endpoints. However, animal testing methodology has recently been developed that can identify and quantify agents that share THC's unique subjective effects. To avoid preexisting ambiguity in the word cannabinoids, the term cannabimimetics has been coined to include all such agents, regardless of origin or structure. Such a classification emphasizes research toward improved biological selectivity and therapeutic advance.