Study: Cannabis May Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

Study: Cannabis May Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

A new study being published in the upcoming issue of the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, and e-published ahead of print by the National Institute of health, has found that a cannabinoid receptor agonist can successfully help against some of the primary symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), indicating that cannabis, which is a natural agonist to the body’s cannabinoid receptors, may provide a treatment option for the condition.

For the study, mice with RA were injected with JWH133, a selective CB2 [cannabinoid receptor type 2] agonist, and it was found that it “reduced the arthritis score, inflammatory cell infiltration, bone destruction, and anti-CII IgG1 production.”

Researchers conclude that; “The present study suggests that a selective CB2 agonist could be a new therapy for RA that inhibits production of inflammatory mediators from FLS, and osteoclastogenesis.”

The study helps to validate the results of a study released in January, which found that activation of the body’s cannabinoid receptors may provide a treatment for RA.

– TheJointBlog