Marijuana Can Fix Broken Bones: Study
A new study has confirmed yet another benefit of marijuana use. Collaborating earlier observations, the study found that a compound in marijuana can treat broken bones without causing any psychoactive side-effects.
According to The Huffington Post, the compound cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD), can help in maturing the bone's collagen matrix and help provide a strong foundation for ossification or bone formation. Interestingly, it can be used without use of other compounds that cause psychotropic side-effects.
"We found that CBD alone makes bones stronger during healing, enhancing the maturation of the collagenous matrix, which provides the basis for new mineralization of bone tissue. After being treated with CBD, the healed bone will be harder to break in the future," said Dr Yankel Gabet at Tel Aviv University.
For the study, researchers administered one group of rats with CBD and other with a combination of CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the compound that produces the marked psychotropic effect associated with marijuana. They found that CBD alone enhanced healing of mild thigh fractures in the rats.
"The clinical potential of cannabinoid-related compounds is simply undeniable at this point. While there is still a lot of work to be done to develop appropriate therapies, it is clear that it is possible to detach a clinical therapy objective from the psychoactivity of cannabis. CBD, the principal agent in our study, is primarily anti-inflammatory and has no psychoactivity," said Dr Gabet.
