Prof. Borut Štrukelj, PhD

is a full professor at the Department for Pharmaceutical Biology at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Ljubljana where leads the group for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. At the Jozef Stefan Institute, he is a Member of the biotechnology  group. By using post-doc EMBO award, he worked at the CPRO-DLO, PRI Institute for plant molecular biology in Wageningen, Netherlands. Prof.  Štrukelj published a great number of over 140 scientific and proffesional articles, among them over 120 in the important international scientific journals. He is a member of many Slovene and international pharmaceutical and biomedicinal  associations. In year 1991 he was awarded for his scientific contribution in the field of molecular biology by Kidirič award. In year 2007 he got a national award for his excellent scientific contribution (Zois award) an in year 2015 the most prominenent Zois top award.. From year 1996 till 2012 he was appointed  as an expert in European Pharmacopoea in a Group for biological pharmaceuticals as well as  at the  European Agency for Medicines  in London (EMEA). In year 2010 he received the Fulbright  Award for visiting professorship  at the Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, USA.

Abstract: NOVEL FINDINGS REGARDING THE USE OF CANNABINOIDS FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES

The medical use of cannabis is slowly gaining a more general acceptance worldwide. Phytocannabinoids THC and CBD have been investigated as potential novel natural medicines in numerous pathophysiological conditions, such as: multiple sclerosis, pain, epilepsy, anorexia and cachexia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, etc.  Limited data are available regarding clinical trials and THC due to long-term prohibition and classification of phytocannabinoids on the list of narcotics. The development and clinical research of phytocannabinoid-based medication, mainly based on delta-9-THC and CBD progressing in last several years, especially in the field of multiple sclerosis, pain incancer patients and epilepsy. Most drugs that are developed by pharmaceutical industry have main single active ingredient that provide the therapeutic action. In case of natural phytocannabinoids, the active ingredient is usually composed of several cannabinoids, standardized to THC and/or CBD and finally formulated in order to produce drug product. Most clinical studies are focused on the orally admninistered THC and CBD. Bioavailability of cannabinoids administered by the oral route is not optimal due to the lipophilic character of compounds, high rate of first-pass metabolism and high variation between individuals. In the document issued by The House of lords Science and Technology Report in 1998, was stated that the acute toxicity of cannabis and the cannabinoids is very low. The ration between the therapeutic doses and the lethal dose is more than 1:1000. However, some other effects of the cannabis need to be taken into account when developing cannabis-based medicine, such as short-term effect on the heart and vascular system (increasing the heart rate and lowering the blood pressure), impairment in psychomotor and cognitive functions. Due to lack of preclinical toxicological or observational studies it is difficult to qualify the influence of the cannabis-based products on the fertility, alteration in male and female hormones and genotoxicity or mutagenicity. In the survey, the potential use of cannabinoids as alternative medicines will be presented in terms of safety, efficacy and quality.