Every day, the questions about Cannabis sativa ability to cause chemical dependence are closed with the considerable increase in the demand for treatment of addicts to this plant. Most drug addicts submitted to treatment have difficulty in achieving and maintaining abstinence from Cannabis due to the appearance of symptoms as irritability, anxiety, desire to consume marijuana, decreased quality and quantity of sleep, and change in appetite, weight loss, and physical discomfort, besides emotional and behavioral symptoms. The neurobiological basis for the withdrawal syndrome, that is, withdrawal of Cannabis, was established after the discovery of the endogenous cannabinoid system, identification of CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, and demonstrations of precipitated removal with antagonists of these receptors. The chapter discusses the main studies currently conducted for the treatment of withdrawal syndrome based on bioligands that act directly on the CB1 cannabinoid receptor.
Part of the book: Recent Advances in Cannabinoid Research