Scientists tried to overdose on marijuana with 9,000 mg of THC in monkeys, they were all alive but were “very stoned”

Have you ever wondered how supplies and medicines are tested around the world before they are tested by humans? The answer to that is rodents and other mammals.

Advances in cannabis research are largely due to the understanding of the drug’s effects on animals such as dogs, rats, and monkeys. In order for a drug like cannabis to enter the clinical trial phase, it must be approved. The associated risk is minimized if the drug has been found to have minimal adverse effects on the test animals.

In this study, conducted by cannabis scientists, we can categorically state that rats and excessive amounts of THC have nothing to do with each other. Monkeys, on the other hand, can tolerate a high dose of the psychoactive compound.

Experimental use of animals in cannabis research

Animals, especially rodents, are regularly used in various laboratory studies. Ethics directs the experimental use of animals to ensure that all experiments remain logical.

Only animals that have an endocannabinoid system are used in cannabis research. Scientists have observed that rats have functionally expressed endocannabinoid systems that can be influenced by the photo-cannabinoids in marijuana. However, they have been found to have uniquely designed CB receptors that don’t tolerate as much THC as primates.

By using animals, the potential risk of marijuana drugs, as well as their side effects and the ECS degradation mechanism, can be known and minimized before they are brought to humans in clinical trials. These animals are often used to assess the effectiveness of new or modified drugs, as well as the risk of cannabis addiction.

These animals were used because they have DNA similar to humans, particularly the rhesus monkeys; which are 97-99% similar to humans. Recent research has shown that when squirrel monkeys are given unimpeded access to cannabinoids, they display brain responses and behaviors similar to those found in humans.

This shows that monkeys are better suited for cannabis research. However, this does not preclude the use of rats and other animals, which can still help shed light on these studies. These small animals are accessible even during the study period and are inexpensive to procure and care for. At least two generations of rats or mice are observed during an experiment because of their short lifespan. Their clueless nature also makes them safer to use. Ethics presents a less moral dilemma in using smaller animals.

Results

The publication, entitled “Comparison of Acute Oral Toxicity of Cannabinoids in Rats, Dogs, and Monkeys,” disclosed the effects of cannabis after excessive doses of THC were administered to the diets of rats, dogs, and monkeys. This research has been in the works since 1973 when the Mason Research Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts first worked on it. The aim of the experiment was to determine what is known as a “lethal dose” of tetrahydrocannabinol in mammals and its drastic effects.

Research overview

The experiment used both delta-8-THC and delta-9-THC, as well as a raw marijuana extract (CME). Raw marijuana extract contains high levels of Delta-9-THC and significant amounts of CBN, CBD, and Delta-8-THC. The drugs were administered to the animals orally by the gavage method.

Results of the research

The study was more or less a conduct for the rats involved. 95% of the total population used died. None of the monkeys died, although they seemed very stoned.

Rats

373 Wistar-Lewis and Fischer rats were used, each weighing approximately 150 g. About 95% of the population had died within the first three days of giving large doses of THC.

The compounds used each had about 225-3600 mg / kg THC. This corresponds to a rat that receives up to 33 mg of THC. A dose increase to around 1,800 mg / kg means that 540 mg of THC are administered to the test person.

The scientists involved documented severe hypothermia and the associated consequences as the cause of death for the rodents. Serious organ damage was also observed during the autopsy. The CME may have reduced the levels of toxicity in the rats caused by the Delta-8 and Delta-9 compounds, but it was not enough to prevent the deaths. This indicated the protective effect of the entourage effect of cannabinoids in cannabis. Hypothermia is also a common effect of THC in humans.

dogs

The beagle breed was used. The average age of the animals was 7-10 months and they weighed about 6-13 kg.

For the experiment, some received massive doses of around 65 to 2000 mg / kg THC, the others received 5000 mg / kg CME. The publication revealed that the largest of these dogs consumed up to 26,000 mg. The mortality in these animals was significantly reduced compared to the rodents. Only two died. The deaths were caused not by the psychoactive compounds but by aspiration. The beagles choked on the cannabis that was given through a tube.

Monkeys

The rhesus monkeys were initially given 131 to 3150 mg / kg THC or 5,000 mg / kg CME. None of the monkeys used died from this dose. The scientists then increased the doses of THC to around 9,000 mg / kg to find out how much THC can kill a primate. This still proved insufficient to kill the animals.

However, the animals were severely affected by the high levels of THC that were administered to them. The behavioral changes expressed that affected their moods. According to the researchers, several of these animals showed signs of depression, imbalance, drowsiness, lack of coordination, lethargy, and an obvious change in posture. Approximately 90% of the primates treated assumed a huddled position, often facing the back of their suitcases, with their heads and hands between their legs.

diploma

The research describes the effects of cannabis toxicity as seen in humans – from effects such as psychosis, paranoia, reduced motor skills and perceptions, or the huddled / couched responses seen in the monkeys. While monkeys and humans have very similar DNAs, this is not enough to conclude that humans cannot die from massive amounts of THC-rich cannabis.

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