Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research

Kevin Spelman PhD on Herbs to Compliment or Counteract Cannabis Effects | BTS #64

In this behind-the-scenes conversation we meet up again with molecular biologist Kevin Spelman, PhD to talk about medicinal herbs that can either compliment or counteract the effects of Cannabis in different ways. Along the way we spin out into all sorts of other topics like discussing “adaptogens”, allostatic vs. homeostatic systems in the body, issues around placebo effects and Cannabis, potential dangers concerning inhaling high concentrations of terpenes, thinking critically about drug-drug interactions with Cannabis, and more!

Learn more about Dr. Spelman’s show The Spelman Report: Phytopharmacology Review at www.thespelmanreport.com

Check out Dr. Spelman’s prior appearance on the show in Curious About Cannabis Behind-the-Scenes Episode #4: https://cacpodcast.com/bts-04-kevin-spelman-phd-on-the-endocannabinoid-system-plant-synergies-and-dietary-supplement-research/

Stay curious, and take it easy!

BTS #62 Ethan Russo MD on a New Understanding of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome

In this behind-the-scenes conversation, we are joined once again by cannabinoid researcher Dr. Ethan Russo. Russo and a team of researchers recently published a research paper entitled, “Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome Survey and Genomic Investigation” which announced findings that could help explain the physiology of CHS, provide tools for screening Cannabis users for CHS, and lead to the development of targeted treatments for CHS.

Throughout our conversation Dr. Russo explains what CHS is, how it compares to Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome, common misunderstandings about CHS, the results of his recent research study, and what we might expect from the future of CHS research.

Read the study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34227878/

Learn more about CReDO Science: www.credo-science.com

Stay curious!

BTS #61 Markus Roggen PhD on Optimizing Cannabis Extraction and Research

In this behind-the-scenes episode we sit down with chemist Dr. Markus Roggen of Delic Labs (formerly Complex Biotech Discovery Ventures) to talk about his journey to help Cannabis processors and researchers optimize their processes, make better products and uncover better data about Cannabis and cannabinoids.

Throughout the conversation we talk about his journey coming from Germany to California and what it was like getting involved in Cannabis research. We also discuss many of the different research projects that he has been involved in and the insights that he and his teams have been able to gain about extraction science and cannabinoid chemistry. Finally we discuss some of the work that Delic Labs is doing with psychedelics and what they hope to uncover about nature’s mind manifesting molecules.

You can learn more about Delic Labs at: https://deliclabs.com/

Stay curious and take it easy!

BTS #60 Linda Klumpers PhD on Rimonabant, CB1 Antagonists, Role of CB2

In this behind-the-scenes episode we are joined once again by Dr. Linda Klumpers, a clinical pharmacologist that has been spending her professional career understanding how cannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors work in the body.

We spend this episode discussing the concept of CB1 receptor antagonists and the story of a hopeful drug from the 1990s, Rimonabant, that ended up teaching researchers a painful lesson about cannabinoid receptor pharmacology. We also discuss our limited understanding of CB2 receptors, the future of cannabinoid receptor antagonist drugs, and more!

Want to learn more about cannabinoid pharmacology? Dr. Klumpers and the team at Cannify has teamed up with Curious About Cannabis to produce a series of cannabinoid pharmacology courses and lecture videos available at the Curious About Cannabis Learning Center at www.cannabis-courses.com. Check out our Cannabinoid Pharmacology Basics course today and get 15% off with discount code “cacxcannify”

BTS #58 Robert Brown of Greenway DNA on Saliva Testing for Endocannabinoid System Genes

In this behind-the-scenes conversation we sit down with Robert Brown, the Director of Development for Greenway DNA, a saliva testing company that analyzes DNA for 20 different endocannabinoid system related genes to help people find the optimal cannabinoid products and dosages best suited for their biochemistry.

In this conversation, Robert breaks down their technology to explain how the test kit was developed, exactly what the test kit does, what information users can expect to receive from their tests, how to interpret those test results, the ways in which the test kit may evolve in the future, the limitations of the test results, and more.

To learn more about Greenway DNA, visit: www.greenwaydna.com

Stay curious and take it easy!

Please Note: This episode is not sponsored by Greenway DNA and we are not making an endorsement of the test kit or Greenway DNA. I have not tried the kit yet, and look forward to looking into the technology more as I have time.

BTS #50 Notes from Raphael Mechoulam + 50th Episode 3 Hour Celebration!

We are halfway to 100 behind-the-scenes episodes! In this episode we celebrate our 50th episode by sharing notes from an email exchange that I had with Dr. Raphael Mechoulam (The Godfather of Cannabis) from late 2020 along with a clip from our 3 Hour 50th Episode Celebration available at our Patreon at patreon.com/CuriousAboutCannabis

Thanks for supporting the podcast and helping us get to 50 episodes! We look forward to bringing you 50 more over the next year.

Stay curious, and take it easy!

BTS #49 David Heldreth Jr. on Cannabis Regulations, The Future of Commercial Cannabinoids, Hunter S Thompson

In this behind-the-scenes conversation we sit down with David Heldreth Jr. of Panacea Plant Sciences and Ziese Farms, based out of Washington, USA. Our conversation covered a lot of ground including the past, present and potential future of Cannabis and cannabinoid regulations, what people often misunderstand about rules regarding cannabinoids and other chemical constituents in foods, supplements, and cosmetics, how hemp companies should be preparing for the future of FDA, USDA, and DEA crackdowns, why regulations may be a thing to be celebrated rather than dismissed, what Hunter S. Thompson might have to say about the Cannabis industry, and much more!

This conversation was a long time coming, as David and I have been following each other’s work and talking via social media for several years. To learn more about David’s work, visit:

http://panaceaplantsciences.net/

https://ziesefarms.com/

Stay curious, and take it easy!

BTS #47 Tanja Bagar, PhD on Medical Cannabis in Europe, ECS Fascinations, International Collaboration

In this behind-the-scenes conversation we are joined by Tanja Bagar, PhD, the founder and CEO of the International Institute for Cannabinoids, a multi-national research and education cooperative based out of Slovenia. Tanja holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences and has spent the past several years focused on studying and teaching about cannabinoids throughout Europe. Tanja and I have been collaborating for years as co-authors on conference abstracts, book chapters, etc. Tanja was also one of my early students in the early iterations of my workshop series which I still teach today, so it was great to reconnect on the podcast.

Our conversation explored her experience discovering the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids, how Cannabis regulations vary throughout Europe and the effects that has on research collaboration, why she has become fascinated with the endocannabinoid system, clinical outcomes that ICANNA and their collaborators have seen in patients using cannabinoids, her thoughts about the future of Cannabis research, and much more!

You can learn more about ICANNA by visiting https://www.institut-icanna.com/en/index.html

BTS #39 Arno Hazekamp PhD on Cannabis Chemovars, Controversies, and the Need for Better Education

In this behind-the-scenes interview we are joined by Arno Hazekamp, PhD. Arno is based out of the Netherlands and has been researching Cannabis since 2001. He is probably most famous for proposing the concept of Cannabis chemovars to replace the idea of “strains”. His work has primarily focused on examining the chemical constituents of Cannabis and Cannabis products including Cannabis teas, Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), and more. He has also published numerous papers on other topics like Cannabis sterilization via gamma irradiation, review papers on human clinical research around Cannabis, and many more.

Arno shares my passion for science communication and science education, which came through very clearly in this conversation. We discussed many different topics over the course of the two hours including common Cannabis misconceptions, evidence for therapeutic applications of Cannabis, how to think about “strains” and indica/sativa vernacular, the best way to make Cannabis tea, the importance of writing scientific papers with a lay audience in mind, and a whole lot more!

Connecting with Arno was a delight and I look forward to talking to him again in the future. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Learn more about Arno’s work at https://hazekamp.info/

S2E2 Into the Endocannabinoidome

In this episode we journey beyond Cannabis and the endocannabinoid system into the endocannabinoidome! The endocannabinoidome is a relatively new concept used to describe the vast hundreds of compounds involved in the functioning of endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors. Learn about how this concept of the endocannabinoidome was formed, what clinicians think about its discovery, and what we can expect from the future of endocannabinoidome research! Plus hear an often overlooked story about the origin of “the entourage effect” and how the concept has been redefined for popular culture.

Featuring a contribution from Raphael Mechoulam, PhD via email and relevant excerpts from behind-the-scenes episodes:

BTS #5 Ethan Russo, MD

BTS #31 The Doctors Knox

BTS #35 Vincenzo Di Marzo, PhD

Stay curious, and take it easy!

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