ECS and Drug and Alcohol Addiction

 

• The ECS plays a role in drug addiction to various substances through interaction with the ECS receptors.

• Brain cannabinoid CB2 receptors modulate cocaine’s actions in mice.

  • These findings suggest that brain CB2 receptors may represent a novel target for cocaine and other drug addictions.

• CBD and THC at high doses increased the likelihood of extinction of cocaine- and amphetamine-induced conditioned preference in rats.

• CBD in rats attenuated heroin-seeking behavior by conditioned stimuli, even after a lapse of 2 weeks.

• Recent human studies have demonstrated that volunteers smoking cannabis with higher CBD content reduced their desire for drug-related stimuli.

  • The authors suggested that CBD can modulate reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse and help in training to reduce relapse to alcoholism.

• Interestingly there is a connection with alcohol and concentration of EPA and DHA (omega 3 found in fish oil).

  • Although there is no correlation with spirits and beer, wine has been found to correlate to higher concentrations of EPA/DHA in plasma and red blood cell membranes.

 

ECS and Nicotine

• A new study shows that nicotine exposure leads to the release of lipids called endocannabinoids that affect dopamine-producing neurons.

• Blocking the production of the body's endocannabinoid 2-AG affects the motivation to consume nicotine.