1. Cannabis sativa effect on Chron’s Disease: Annotated Bibliography
Naftali T, Bar Lev L, Yableknovitz D, Half E and Konikoff F. 2011. Treatment of
Crohn’s Disease with Cannabis: An Observational Study. [Internet]. [Cited 2012 Oct 11]
13:455-457 Available from: http://www.letfreedomgrow.com/cmu/Crohns-ar11aug-
01.pdf
This article is about the use of Cannabis sativa, commonly known as marijuana,
as a treatment for patients with Crohn’s disease. One of the disease’s symptoms is bowl
inflammation and it is known that the plant works as an anti-inflammatory. In this
research, thirty patients, under different circumstances but all with Crohn’s disease,
undertook the cannabis treatment. Twenty-one out of thirty patients improved their
condition greatly after said treatment. It is proven by this research that the amount of drug
taken by Crohn’s disease patients and surgeries performed on them were reduced by the
use of the cannabis treatment. Unlike what I’m aiming for, this article, other than just
focusing on cannabis being used as an anti-inflammatory, includes the reduction of
surgery on Crohn’s disease patients. Also, it emphasizes patients’ medical history, which
I will not concentrate on in my review paper. However, this firmly proves that the
cannabis treatment has a positive effect on those who suffer from the disease regardless
of their past. This research is important to my review paper because it gives solid proof
that the use of cannabis will successfully reduce Crohn’s disease symptoms, especially
bowel inflammation, and be of aid to those who suffer from it.

2. Capasso R, Borrelli F, Aviello G, Romano B, Scalisi C, Capasso F, Izzo AA. 2008.
Cannabidiol, extracted from cannabis sativa, selectively inhibits inflammatory
hypermotility in mice. Br J Pharmacol 154(5):1001-8.
In this research paper, the matter of discussion is whether cannabidiol inhibits
inflammatory hypermotility in mice. In vivo experimenting and in vitro experimenting are
used to determine in which case the cannabidiol has a greater inhibition effect. To
produce intestinal inflammation, irritant croton oil was induced in the experimental
group. In the results, it is established that cannabidiol is active when there is an
inflammatory stimulus. Also, it is pointed out that by having a larger quantity of
cannabidiol, the inhibition percentage increases. After conducting experimentation on the
mice using irritant croton oil, it is concluded that the use of cannabidiol is, in fact, helpful
in normalizing intestinal motility. It may come to your attention that in my review paper
I’m not focusing on hypermotility, but this paper helps me to understand many concepts
about how the cannabidiol acts in the reduction of inflammation in inflammatory bowel
diseases. It explains how it reacts under different conditions, either by reducing
inflammation or having no effect at all.
Lal S, Prasad N, Ryan M, Tangri S, Silverberg M, Gordon A, Steinhart H. 2011.
Cannabis use amongst patients with inflammatory bowel disease. European Journal of
Gastroenterology & Hepatology 23(10): 891-896
This article has a direct connection with my review paper because it discusses
exactly what I want to discuss. It researches the possibility of the use of cannabis as an
anti-inflammatory for bowel diseases. The researchers express that a good hypothesis to

3. why the cannabis works as an anti-inflammatory Is because of the existence of
endocannabinoids (receptors for the cannabis). A survey was conducted among patients,
all eighteen years or older and no sex preference, with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative
colitis, which are both inflammatory bowel diseases.. Certain factors, such as
demographics, psychosocial factors, disease and therapy history, quality of life and
current or previous use of cannabis, were taking into consideration . In the majority of the
cases (use statistics), the use of cannabis helped relieve abdominal pain, diarrhea and
reduced appetite. The use of cannabis, like any other drug, does have side effects.
However, it improves the life of the patients with these diseases, making it a good option
for them.