About 120 people participated in the conference on 12-13 September at the Medical School of the University of Cologne organized by the IACM in cooperation with the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy and the Department of Anaesthesiology of the University of Cologne. The directors of both departments, Dr. Joachim Klosterkoetter and Dr. Walter Buzello participated as chairs of the reviews by Dr. Mechoulam on the neuroprotective properties on cannabinoids and by Dr. Di Marzo on the possible use of endocannabinoid-based drugs against tumour growth.

Some lectures presented at the meeting:

* THC effective in spasticity in spinal cord injury At the REHAB in Basel 15 patients with spinal cord injury and severe spasticity underwent a double-blind placebo controlled trial with oral and rectal THC. Medium daily doses were 31 mg with the oral dose. THC resulted in a significant reduction of spasticity after a single dose of 10 mg THC and over a course of 6 weeks with individual dosing. (Lecture by Ulrike Hagenbach)

* Smoked Cannabis reduces neuropathic pain in HIV A pilot study with 16 subjects with persistent painful HIV associated peripheral neuropathy despite treatment with opioids was conducted at the University of California in San Francisco. 10 of the 16 participants experienced a more than 30% reduction in pain after seven days of treatment with smoked cannabis. A placebo-controlled trial with a target sample size of 50 subjects is under way. (Lecture by Donald Abrams)

* Derivatives of cannabidiol (CBD) may be effective in inflammatory bowel disease Analogues of CBD were tested in mice on there possible therapeutic effects in inflammatory bowel disease. CBD itself and several analogues inhibited intestinal motility. Researchers conclude that "CBD analogues devoid of central effects show therapeutic potential as anti-inflammatory drugs for the GI [gastro- inestinal] system, with application in conditions such as Inflammatory Bowel disease and Crohn’s disease." (Lecture by Ester Fride)

* Cannabinoids influence bone formation According to research results at Hebrew University of Jerusalem endocannabinoids are involved in bone remodeling. Precursors of bone forming cells (osteoblasts) show progressive increase in CB2 but not of CB1 receptors. In addition normal mice systematically treated with the endocannabinoid 2-AG or with a specific CB2 agonist showed a dose dependent increase in bone formation. The researcher assumes that "endocannabinoids stimulate bone formation." (Lecture by Raphael Mechoulam)

* Successful use of dronabinol in children with severe neurological disorders Eight case reports of children between 3 and 14 years of age were presented, suffering from sever neurological disorders including spasticity, dystonia (movement disorder) and seizures. They were successfully treated in private practice with dronabinol (THC). (Lecture by Ruediger Lorenz)

(Source: Reader of the IACM 2nd Conference on Cannabinoids in Medicine, www.cannabis-med.org/meeting/cologne2003/home.htm)

More News in brief from IACM

***Science: Survey A questionnaire was sent to 780 Canadians with multiple sclerosis by researchers of the University of Calgary. 62% completed questionnaires were returned. 72% of these support legalization for medicinal purposes, 43% had tried cannabis at some point in their lives, 16% for medicinal purposes. Symptoms reported to be ameliorated included anxiety/depression, spasticity and chronic pain. (Source: Page SA, et al. Can J Neurol Sci. 2003 Aug;30(3):201-5.)

***USA: Re-legalisation in Alaska The law that makes any possession of cannabis illegal in Alaska has been ruled unconstitutional by a states appeals court on 19 August. The ruling affirms a 1975 Alaska Supreme Court decision that found it legal to posses up to 112 grams of cannabis in one’s home. In 1990 Alaska voters approved a law that criminalized the possession of any amount of drug in any location. Governor Frank H. Murkowski said that he was "very concerned" about re- legalization of the drug, and that "Alaskans who use marijuana should remember that its use or possession remains illegal under federal law." (Sources: Guelph Mercury of 30 August 2003, Capital Weekly of 2 September 2003)

***Science: Epilepsy In an animal model of epilepsy THC and a synthetic cannabinoid completely abolished epileptic seizures. Seizures had been induced in the animals by pilocarpin. A cannabinoid receptor blocker (SR141716A) increased both seizure duration and frequency, suggesting that the endocannabinoid system is tonicaly active with regard to seizure activity. (Source: Wallace MJ, et al. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2003 Sep 3 [electronic publication ahead of print].)

***Science: Colorectal cancer Endocannabinoid levels in tissue of colorectal carcinomas were 2- to 3-fold higher than in normal colon tissue. Tissues were obtained from 21 patients by biopsy during colonoscopy. Researchers conclude that endocannabinoid levels are enhanced in colon cancer cells "possibly to counteract proliferation". (Source: Ligresti A, et al. Gastroenterology. 2003 Sep;125(3):677-87)

***Argentine: Support for medical use In an extensive interview for La Capital Aquiles Roncoroni, an emeritus professor of pneumology of the University of Buones Aires spoke out for the medical use of cannabis for several indications. Marijuana had become a victim of moral attitudes, he said. Roncoroni also spoke on the issue at a meeting of the Argentine Association of Harm Reduction. While other medicinal drugs would be available for possible indications for cannabis they would not always work or may have intolerable side effects. (Source: La Capital of 24 August 2003)