Use of american ginseng to counteract cannabis-induced intoxication

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cannabis (aka marijuana) is a genus of flowering plants that consists of three subspecies, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. Cannabis produces hundreds of cannabinoids, which are terpeno-phenolic compounds. Some of these cannabinoids produce psychoactive effects (e.g. delta-9-tertrahydrocannabinol) whereas other cannabinoids are biologically-active and produce wide-ranging effects as disparate as conjunctive vasodilation, immune system regulation, stimulation of appetite, sleep-induction, and analgesia. Medical use of Cannabis is practiced today and has a history going back thousands of years, however, the medical utility of Cannabis is a topic of much contention. Several states have legalized the recreational and medical use of Cannabis and more states have placed Cannabis legalization on ballots for the voters of these states to determine its legal status. Currently, the US Federal government does not recognize the medical utility of Cannabis but has not interceded in the sale and distribution of Cannabis in those states where its use has been legalized. The eventual legal status of Cannabis at the federal level is uncertain. Despite the confusing and evolving legal status of Cannabis, it is one of the most commonly-used psychoactive substances in the world, exceeded only by ethanol-containing beverages, tobacco (nicotine), and coffee (caffeine).

One of the known biological effects of the consumption of Cannabis is intoxication via psychoactive cannabinoids (e.g. delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). The psychoactive effects of cannabis are the reason it is used as a recreational intoxicant. The mechanism for Cannabis-induced intoxication is via agonism of cannabinoid subtype 1 (CB1) receptors. While the intoxication from cannabis is usually described as pleasurable, high doses of cannabis can result in dysphoria, including panic, generalized anxiety, and adverse bodily sensations. The lack of quality control and great differences in cannabinoid content between cannabis strains can result in some cannabis extracts to be extremely potent, and more likely to induce high-dose cannabis-induced dysphoria. This risk is increased when the cannabis is ingested as an edible form (e.g. cannabis-infused brownies, cookies, and lozenges). It is proposed that these dysphoric effects of high-dose cannabis would be reversed by chemical antagonists or inverse agonists of the CB1 receptor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a composition of Panax quinquefolius comprising a dosage in an amount effective for the attenuation of Cannabis-induced dysphoria.

It is a further object of this invention to provide the composition of Panax quinquefolius within a gum base for efficacious delivery to the user through the ordinary process of gum chewing, where the gum base further comprises Maltitol, Sorbitol, Isomalt, Xylitol and other components.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method for detoxification comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a composition containing American Ginseng that reduces the psychotropic activity caused by the consumption of cannabis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention described herein is the use of Panax quinquefolius (aka American Ginseng), including any processed (e.g. extracts, conjugates, heated, cooked, etc.) or unprocessed form of the plant, including roots, leaves and seeds, for the attenuation of Cannabis-induced dysphoria incorporated within a gum base with the below included ingredients for efficacious delivery to the user through the ordinary process of gum chewing. The gum base is formulated utilizing a cold pressed manufacturing process to incorporate all of the ingredients with heightened efficacy into a circular half inch diameter tablet. The ingredients incorporated into the gumbase are, Maltitol, Sorbitol, Isomalt, Xylitol, American Ginseng (African Panax quinquefolius) 300 mg per piece, natural & artificial flavors, vegetarian magnesium stearate, Sucralose and Silicon dioxide.

Panax quinquefolius is a herbaceous perennial plant in the ivy family, commonly used as herbal medicine. American ginseng was formerly particularly widespread in the forested regions of the Eastern United States, Appalachian and Ozark regions. However, due to its popularity and destruction of its habitat, the wild plant has been overharvested, and is rare in most parts of the United States and Canada. Currently, most American ginseng is grown commercially and is not wild-harvested. American ginseng is used for a wide variety of ailments in herbal medicine, from improving digestion, to improving immune function, to treating insomnia and anxiety. Approximately 200 substances have been isolated from ginseng including ginsenosides, polyacetylenes, alkaloids, polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, oligopeptides, phenolic compounds, lipids, vitamins, and minerals (Kolodziej et al., Chemical composition and chosen bioactive properties of Panax quinquefolius extracts. Chemija 24(2):151-159, 2013). Nonvolatile ginsenosides and falcarinol, a natural pesticide and fatty alcohol, are believed to be the main pharmacologically-active ginseng constituents (Kolodziej et al., Chemical composition and chosen bioactive properties of Panax quinquefolius extracts. Chemija 24(2):151-159, 2013).

Of special interest to cannabis-induced dysphoria, is the presence of falcarinol in American ginseng. Falcarinol is found at concentrations of up to 14% in the roots of Panax quinquefolius (Kolodziej et al., Chemical composition and chosen bioactive properties of Panax quinquefolius extracts. Chemija 24(2):151-159, 2013). Falcarinol contains special properties with regard to reducing the psychoactive effects of cannabis. Most importantly, falcarinol has been shown to be a potent inverse agonist at the CB1 receptor, and thus would reverse the effects of CB1 agonism, and thereby attenuate cannabis-induced dysphoria (Leonti et al., Falcarinol is a covalent cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist and induces pro-allergic effects in skin. Biochemical Pharmacology 79(12):1815-1826, 2010). American ginseng, via Falcarinol's CB1 inverse agonist properties, would thereby attenuate cannabis-induced dysphoria.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method for detoxification comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a composition containing American Ginseng that reduces the psychotropic activity caused by the consumption of cannabis.