humulene and Hypoglycemia

The authors observed the effect of marijuana on carbohydrate metabolism in fed and fasting states in chronic marijuana users. They found no hypoglycemia in 7 patients who were given marijuana after fasting for 24-72 hours. They also found no significant difference in carbohydrate tolerance and no hypoglycemia during an oral glucose tolerance test in 10 patients who smoked placebo or marijuana on alternate days. They conclude that marijuana has no effect on carbohydrate metabolism in the fed or the fasted state in well-nourished chronic marijuana users.

Topics: Adult; Blood Glucose; Cannabis; Carbohydrate Metabolism; Humans; Hypoglycemia; Insulin; Male; Placebos

Topics: Cannabis; Carbazoles; Carvedilol; Diagnosis, Differential; Glucose; Hemodialysis Solutions; Humans; Hypoglycemia; Kidney Failure, Chronic; Male; Marijuana Abuse; Marijuana Smoking; Mental Disorders; Patient Compliance; Polypharmacy; Propanolamines; Renal Dialysis; Weight Gain; Young Adult

Adverse effects occurred in four youths after intravenous injection of an aqueous cannabis-seed tea, which was prepared by boiling the seeds. The effects were immediate and included nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, chills, fever, hypovolemic shock, hypotension, and non-oligemic transitory renal failure. Other manifestations included persistent hypoglycemia, tachycardia, gastrointestinal bleeding, conjunctival hemorrhage, injury, jaundice, splenomegaly, leucocytosis, myalgia, arthralgia, motor weakness, and prostration. Ischemia was noted on electrocardiogram (EKG). All manifestations appeared to reverse within weeks, but these effects had been potentially fatal.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Cannabis; Humans; Hypoglycemia; Injections, Intravenous; Male; Substance-Related Disorders

Six hospitalized volunteer male subjects were given insulin, 0.15 U/kg, before and after 14 days of administration of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) at a dose of 210 mg/day. A diminished maximal serum human growth hormone (GH) increase followed the prolonged THC ingestion. The mean maximal GH response was: 52.6 ng/ml +/- 8.7 (+/-SE) before THC and 18.8 ng/ml +/- 6.7 (+/-SE) during THC, P less than 0.01; corresponding cortisol responses were 20.1 mug/dl +/- 3.0 before THC and 10.0 mug/dl +/- 1.1 during THC, P less than 0.05. The data suggest suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis after prolonged high dose THC use. This is consistent with other reported endocrine effects of marijuana in man.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Adult; Blood Glucose; Cannabis; Dronabinol; Growth Hormone; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Hypoglycemia; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System; Insulin; Male

Topics: Adolescent; Cannabis; Glucose; Humans; Hypoglycemia; Hypoglycemic Agents; Male; Substance-Related Disorders; Unconsciousness