Top 10 Cannabis Based Pharmaceutical Drugs

If ever you were confused about whether or not marijuana has actual medical purposes, consider what medical professionals say. Medical marijuana has been used to treat pain and other ailments for years. There is no place that this is more evident than the pharmacy. There are a variety of different cannabis-based pharma drugs that need little more than a prescription.

Here are the top 10 cannabis-based pharmaceutical drugs that are available on the market now.

1. Rimonabant

Rimonabant was marketed as an anti-obesity cannabis-based pharma drug. Using this pill in tandem with diet and moderate exercise, the hope was that patients would lose weight. The secret is in the special chemical compound that makes up this medicine. Because this medicine was infused with cannabis, many patients had experienced minor psychedelic side effects.

2. Dexanabinol

One of the biggest benefits of cannabis is its cancer-fighting properties. While there are still trials being done, marijuana has been shown to help shrink cancerous tumors in the body. Dexanabinol has set out to do just this. This strong pharmaceutical was created to specifically target brain type injuries. This includes head trauma, stroke and certain types of brain cancer.

While this medication is still in the testing stage, experts expect to see great results. This is especially true when it comes to treating advanced solid tumors in brain cancer.

3. Cannabinor

Cannabinor is another great cannabis-based pharma drug. This medication uses a synthetic strain of marijuana and is currently in the trial stage of testing. Cannabinor is used to treat severe chronic pain conditions. According to www.wikinvest.com patients who use Cannabinor suffer from chronic pain due to neurological disorders.

Treatment of chronic pain is nothing new for medical marijuana. Marijuana has been used as a safe alternative to opioids and has been shown to be more effective.

4. Taranabant

There are many studies that show that cannabis can help patients lose weight. Studies even show that people who smoke marijuana regularly are less likely to be obese. So, it’s no surprise that pharmaceutical companies are cashing in on this. Taranabant is used to treat obesity using the anorectic effects of cannabis.

5. Cesamet

One of the reasons patients use medical marijuana is because it helps treat common problems like nausea. Nausea can be brought on by neurological problems and can even be a side effect of cancer treatments. Cesamet claims to mimic the healing effects of THC specifically when it comes to nausea. It works by blocking the signaling to the brain that induces vomiting.

6. Sativex

Sativex is one of the most popular cannabis-based pharma drugs on the market. Sativex is derived from the Sativa cannabis strains. This medication is used to treat intense muscle spasms as well as body aches and stiffness. Developers are hoping that the effects of Sativex will widen to help to bring relief to cancer patients. While Sativex isn’t yet available in the US, there are currently 25 countries that have approved this medication.

7. Marinol

Marinol is a great alternative for cancer patients who don’t live in a medical marijuana approved state. This drug is made using a safe synthetic form of THC. While THC is known for a whole list of benefits for cancer patients, it’s mostly used to treat nausea. One of the biggest side effects of cancer treatments like chemotherapy is an unsettled stomach. When patients can’t eat they find that they don’t always have the energy to live a day to day life. With and anti-nausea cannabis-based pharma drug like Marinol, patients can fight the battle without nausea.

8. Zynerba

Zynerba is one of the newest cannabis-based pharma drugs to soon hit the market. This pharmaceutical company is hoping to ride the coattails of other CBD based medications on the market. They are hoping to bring a safer alternative for patients suffering from seizers brought on by epilepsy. Cannabis has been a front-runner when it comes to treating seizers. Studies show that the use of medical marijuana can reduce the number of seizers that epilepsy patients experience by 40%. Zynerba is focusing its studies on only adults who suffer from epilepsy.

9. Nabilone

Many big pharma companies are turning to synthetic strains of THC. This is because man-made THC is easier to produce which helps to keep costs low. While Nabilone has no actual marijuana flowers in it, the effects are similar to organic THC. Nabilone is used to treat symptoms that AIDS patients suffer from. More specifically, Nabilone is meant to reduce discomfort brought on by nausea and vomiting. While this cannabis based pharma drug is geared towards AIDS patients, it is offered to cancer patients as well.

10. CT-3

CT-3, otherwise known as Ajulemic Acid, is a synthetic based cannabis capsule that also mimics the effects of THC. This drug is mainly marketed for patients who suffer from the debilitating disease MS. MS not only attacks the neuropathic sensors but also has inflammatory side effects. Since THC is known as a natural anti-inflammatory, it is no surprise that experts are taking advantage of this benefit. Not only does CT-3 help MS patients with pain, it has also been known to help with arthritis. This has been known as one of the most potent cannabis-based pharma drugs on the market.

Final Thoughts

While there have been large strides made in the medical marijuana community, there is still a long way to go. It is not surprising that many of the cannabis-based pharma drugs have not been approved in the US yet. Is this because the other countries that lead the way in medicine are onto something we are not? Or is it because the long-standing stigma that comes with cannabis is a hard one to shake? Whatever the reason may be, one thing is clear. There is no slowing down the research that continues to link medical advances to cannabis.