Pot’s Active Ingredient May Curtail Alzheimer’s
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iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — The main active ingredient in marijuana may be instrumental in curbing the onset of memory-wasting Alzheimer’s disease.
Scientists at the University of South Florida and Thomas Jefferson University say that “THC could be a potential therapeutic treatment option for Alzheimer’s disease through multiple functions and pathways.”
In a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Alzheimer’s research cells were treated with THC. It was later determined that levels of a type of protein linked to Alzheimer’s symptoms were lowered by the marijuana compound.
Furthermore, besides inhibiting aggression of the protein amyloid beta, THC also lowered other key Alzheimer’s Disease markers without toxicity.
In fact, THC was shown to enhance the function of the mitochondria, which keeps the cell full of energy.
Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. with more than five million people diagnosed with the disease.
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