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Pharmaceutical Drugs Based on Marijuana (Cannabis)

Pharmaceutical researchers have developed drugs which contain chemicals found in the marijuana (cannabis) plant. Some of these drugs contain chemicals taken directly from the marijuana plant and some contain human-made copies of those chemicals. There are also several drugs which contain chemicals similar to those in marijuana but are not found in the plant itself.

More recently, some researchers have used their understanding of how the brain processes cannabinoids to develop drugs which follow the same pathways but work differently than marijuana.

The four charts below provide examples of each type of such drugs that have been developed (as of 1/5/06).

  1. Drugs which contain chemicals taken directly from the marijuana plant

  2. Drugs which contain human-made copies of chemicals found in marijuana

  3. Drugs which contain chemicals similar to those in marijuana but not found in the plant

  4. Drugs which do not work like marijuana but use the same brain pathways

I. Drugs which contain chemicals taken directly from the marijuana plant
Name/Trade Name Manufacturer Approval Status Suggested Medical Use Cannabis-Related Properties
1. Sativex GW Pharmaceuticals Approved for use in Canada (2005) and Catalonia, Spain (2005)

U.S. Phase III clinical trials slated to start late 2006

 		Treatment of neuropathic pain in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Mouth spray whose chemical compound is derived from natural extracts of the cannabis plant

II. Drugs which contain human-made copies of chemicals naturally found in marijuana
Name/Trade Name Manufacturer Approval Status Suggested Medical Use Cannabis-Related Properties
1. Dronabinol/
Marinol 		Unimed Pharmaceuticals,
a subsidiary of Solvay Pharmaceuticals 		Approved for use in United States (1985 approved for nausea; approved 1992 as an appetite stimulant); Canada and Australia (1997) A) Treatment of nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing cancer treatment

B) Appetite stimulant for AIDS patients 		Human-made THC
2. Dronabinol Metered Dose Inhaler (MDI) Solvay Pharmaceuticals Not currently approved for use

Currently in Phase I clinical trials in the United States 		Treatment of nausea, vomiting, migraines, spasticity in MS patients, and neuropathic pain Human-made THC inhaler

III. Drugs which contain chemicals similar to those in marijuana but not found in the plant
Name/Trade Name Manufacturer Approval Status Suggested Medical Use Cannabis-Related Properties
1. Nabilone/
Cesamet 		Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Approved for use in United Kingdom (1982), Canada (1981), and Australia (1982) Treatment of nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing cancer treatment Synthetic cannabinoid similar to THC
2. Dexanabinol Pharmos Not currently approved for use

Currently in Phase II clinical trials in the United States 		Neuroprotective (protects brain from damage) for use after cardiac surgery Synthetic non-psychotropic cannabinoid which blocks NMDA receptors and COX-2 cytokines and chemokines
3. CT-3 (ajulemic acid) Atlantic Technology Ventures Not currently approved for use

Currently in Phase II clinical trials in the United States 		Treatment of spasticity and neuropathic pain in MS patients Synthetic, more potent analog of THC metabolite THC-11-oic acid
4. Cannabinor Pharmos Not currently approved for use

Currently in Phase I clinical trials in the United States 		Anti-inflammatory Synthetic chemical that specifically binds to the brain's secondary cannabinoid receptor (CB2)
5. HU 308 N/A Not currently approved for use

Has demonstrated efficacy in pre-clinical laboratory studies 		Treatment of hypertension

Anti-inflammatory		 Synthetic chemical that specifically binds to the brain's secondary cannabinoid receptor (CB2)

IV. Drugs which do not work like marijuana but use the same brain pathways
Name/Trade Name Manufacturer Approval Status Suggested Medical Use Cannabis-Related Properties
1. Rimonabant/
Acomplia 		Sanofi-Aventis Not currently approved for use

Approval expected in the United States and Europe in 2006 		Anti-obesity Synthetic chemical that blocks endocannabinoids from being received in the brain and, as a result, suppresses appetite
2. URB597 Cayman Chemical Not currently approved for use

Has demonstrated efficacy in pre-clinical laboratory studies 		Treatment of depression Increases the amount of endocannabinoids in the brain by blocking the natural process of deactivating them. The same process that deactivates endocannabinoids also blocks chemicals which regulate mood
3. O-3246 N/A Not currently approved for use

Has demonstrated efficacy in pre-clinical laboratory studies 		Treatment of spasticity in MS patients Increases the amount of anandamide, an endocannabinoid, by tricking the brain to produce more instead of uptaking what is already present
4. AM 281 Peninsula Laboratories Not currently approved for use

Has demonstrated efficacy in pre-clinical laboratory studies 		Neuroprotective for use in association with septic shock Synthetic chemical that blocks the endocannabinoids from being received in the brain, regulating the flow of blood to the brain during septic shock

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