What is the effect of THC?

In 1964, THC was isolated for the first time by Yechiel Gaoni and Raphael Mechoulam. Both researchers came from the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot. THC is found in cannabis and besides this cannabinoid, more than 60 other cannabinoids have been identified. However, to this day, there is little or no clarification about the importance and what the role of all these compounds exactly is and research is still regularly carried out into what the effects can be.

Medicinal and toxicological properties are being investigated in rats and mice

There is still a lot of research going on today about what the medicinal and toxicological properties are exactly. This is mainly studied in rats and mice, mainly because of the easy treatment and the relatively short lifespan of the animals. As a result, the outcome of each study is in most cases independent. The studies also sometimes contradict each other. It is therefore difficult to determine what the exact effect of THC is on the human brain.

The effects that THC can have

Did you know that cannabinoids do not occur naturally in the human body? This started the search for what the endogenous substance of the receptor was. The discovery of an endocannabinoid, anandamide and part of the endocannabinoid system was revealed. This substance is also present in chocolate and cocoa to a very small extent. THC mimics the effect of anandamide and research has shown that the chance of toxification through the use of THC is low.

THC and its psychoactive properties

In the early 90s, the body's own cannabinoid system was discovered. In the human brain, the system produces the neurotransmitter anandamide, which is derived from Ananda. This word is a synonym for bliss. Thanks to this discovery, which was made in the early 90s, researchers began to understand better what interactions occur between THC and CBD, together with anandamide. But it also better mapped out how some effects of CBD counteract THC.

The THC/CBD ratio, dosage, and timing of when the drug is administered are all very important. THC is primarily known for its psychoactive properties. CBD, on the other hand, is known to be able to mitigate the psychoactive effects of THC.