THC Delays Progression of Lou Gehrig’s Disease

Via NORML

Seattle, WA: The administration of the cannabinoid THC in mice
delayed disease progression of an animal model of amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis (ALS), according to clinical findings published in the journal
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis & Other Motor Neuron Disorders. Also known
as Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS is a chronic, often fatal condition marked by
a gradual degeneration of the nerve cells in the central nervous system
that control voluntary muscle movement.

“Treatment with Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol was effective if
administered either before or after onset of [symptoms] in the ALS mouse
model,” researchers at the MDA/ALS Center at the University of Washington
determined. “Administration at the onset of tremors delayed motor
impairment and prolonged survival in Delta(9)-THC treated mice when
compared to … controls.”

Authors concluded, “As Delta(9)-THC is well tolerated, it and other
cannabinoids may prove to be novel therapeutic targets for the treatment
of ALS.”