Cannabis, Ethnobotany, Chemistry, Extraction, and Therapeutics

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Cannabis has taken the nation by storm. Thirty-seven states (and D.C.) have medical use and 15 states have recreational laws on the books (and some have both). Yet there is still an abundance

of misinformation and misunderstanding on Cannabis and the endocannabinoid system (ECS).  

And many healthcare providers are, unfortunately, unaware of the effects of both the endogenous cannabinoids and phytocannabinoids on human physiology.

The ECS influences multiple organs, tissues and cells, as well as pathways including immune function, metabolism and neurological tone. Curiously, most medical schools to this day still do not cover the ECS, despite the evidence-base demonstrating efficacy in a number of chronic diseases.

In this four-part Cannabis intensive we will cover: 

1.     The ethnobotany of Cannabis and traditional use.

2.     The phytochemistry of Cannabis including the cannabinoids, as well as the terpenoids and flavonoids and the extraction of these compounds.

3.     The endocannabinoid system.

4.     The pharmacology and therapeutics of Medical Cannabis. 

Bio

Dr. Kevin Spelman is a molecular biologist, phytochemist, clinician and herbalist who has worked with medicinal plants in the field, in the clinic, and in research models including clinical human trials and preclinical models. He has practiced phytotherapy at several clinics and was a cofounder of the first full accredited Master of Science degree in Clinical Herbal Medicine.  As a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute on Aging he researched the molecular biology of brain and ovarian cancer and predicted and demonstrated novel phytocannabinoid ligands from Zanthoxylum spp. Dr. Spelman was a Marie Curie Research Fellow in the EU researching medicinal plants against malaria. His doctoral work connected metabolic and immunological function and elucidated an endocannabinoid novel target for Echinacea spp. Dr. Spelman has been an editor, reviewer and contributed to the knowledge base in Integrative Medicine with publications in JPBA, Phytother Res, Toxicology, J Chromatogr B, Anal Biochem, Int Immunopharmacol, Planta Medica, etc. Dr. Spelman also publishes an audio science journal The Spelman Report: PhytoPharmacology Review highlighting clinically relevant research on natural products. He also runs Health, Education & Research a consulting company for the natural products and cannabis industry.