THCA may be effective against neurodegenerative diseases

The tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is best known as the psychoactive compound in cannabis and the source of its euphoric effects. THC is activated by heat. Before it becomes THC, it is present in the plant in the form of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), with one additional carbon atom. Although non-toxic in this form, it nonetheless has therapeutic effects.

According to a a recent Spanish study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, THCA may be an effective treatment for people with debilitating neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer or the disease of Parkinson.

In France, more than one million people are affected by neurodegenerative diseases. Approximately 900,000 people are believed to have Alzheimer's (data France Alzheimer), the most common neurodegenerative disease in France. According to (data Public Health France).

What does the study say?

The study aimed to determine whether tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), a naturally occurring cannabinoid found in the plant before decarboxylation, had a neuroprotective effect and modulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARγ). PPARs are nuclear receptors that bind to fats. The «γ» (gamma) denotes PPARs found in tissues such as the heart, colon, white blood cells, muscles, and kidneys.

To do this, the researchers studied the neuroprotective effects of THCA in mice exposed to the toxin mitochondrial 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP)). This toxin can be found in people with Huntington's disease, a neurological disorder that causes significant motor, psychiatric, and cognitive impairments and can be fatal.

The results showed that THCA, through a PPRAγ-dependent pathway, has neuroprotective properties in mice with 3-NP toxicity by improving deficits. Thus, THCA reduces the proliferation of astrocytes—cells of the central nervous system—as well as gliosis, which causes the proliferation of cells that make up the central nervous system’s supportive tissue.

The study concludes that THCA is an effective neuroprotective agent in the treatment of Huntington’s disease and «possibly other neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases.».

Mehdi Bautier