Pharmacological evaluation of
aerosolized cannabinoids in mice
by
Lichtman AH, Peart J, Poklis JL,
Bridgen DT, Razdan RK, Wilson DM,
Poklis A, Meng Y, Byron PR, Martin BR
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology,
Medical College of Virginia,
Virginia Commonwealth University,
MCV Campus, PO Box 980613,
23298-0613, Richmond,
VA, USA.
Eur J Pharmacol 2000 Jul 7; 399(2-3):141-9

ABSTRACT

The reemergence on the debate of the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes has been the impetus for developing an acceptable delivery form of aerosolized cannabinoids. The goals of the present study were to: (1) develop and characterize the physical properties of an aerosolized form of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC), the major psychoactive constituent present in marijuana; and (2) assess the pharmacological effects of cannabinoid inhalation in mice. A Small Particle Aerosol Generator (SPAG) nebulizer, used to generate the aerosol, had an output of approximately 0.154 mg/l of aerosolized Delta(9)-THC with a 2.0 &mgr;m mass median aerodynamic diameter and a 2.2 geometric standard deviation (GSD). Virtually all the particles were less than 5.0 &mgr;m in diameter suggesting that they were sufficiently small to penetrate deeply into the lungs. Inhalation exposure to aerosolized Delta(9)-THC in mice elicited antinociceptive effects that were dependent on concentration and exposure time with an estimated Delta(9)-THC dose of 1.8 mg/kg. On the other hand, inhalation exposure to Delta(9)-THC failed to produce two other indices indicative of cannabinoid activity, hypothermia and decreases in spontaneous locomotor activity. The antinociceptive effects occurred within 5 min of exposure and lasted approximately 40 min in duration. The cannabinoid receptor antagonist N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2, 4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide HCl (SR 141716A), but not naloxone, blocked these antinociceptive effects (AD(50)=0.09 mg/kg) indicating a cannabinoid receptor mechanism of action. Similarly, inhalation exposure to a water soluble cannabinoid analog, 3-(5'-cyano-1', 1'dimethylheptyl)-1-(4-N-morpholinobutyrloxy)-Delta(8)-tetrahydrocann abinol (O-1057), produced antinociception that was blocked by SR 141716A. These results demonstrate that the development of an aerosolized form of cannabinoids for human medicinal use is feasible.

CB1
Potency
Plants/CNS
Tolerant mice
Forgetful rodents
Endocannabinoids
Stoned as a newt?
Keen-eyed goldfish
The nectar of delight
Stoned chocaholics?
Humans are not rats
Cannabis Abuse Disorder
Cannabis and schizophrenia
From cannabis to cannabinergics

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

HOME

Refs
HedWeb
Future Opioids
BLTC Research
Paradise-Engineering
Utopian Pharmacology
The Hedonistic Imperative
When Is It Best To Take Crack Cocaine?

The Good Drug Guide
The Responsible Parent's Guide
To Healthy Mood Boosters For All The Family