Generex Biotechnology Corporation has produced a white paper outlining the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. The company has further announced it is undertaking a joint venture with CannScience Innovations Inc. to design products for the delivery of cannabinoids and cannabinoid-derived formulations into the human body through the buccal mucosa (that is, via the inner lining of the mouth).
Generex and CannScience have been working together for some time, according to PharmPro, and Generex recently agreed to license its RapidMist drug delivery platform system to CannScience. This was to allow both bodies to seek ways to maximize the commercialization if the product. RapidMist is a device designed to delivers marijuana, as well as other drugs, into the mouth as a metered-dose spray. This process allows for speedy absorption through the inner lining of the cheeks.
The white paper discusses the latest developments into the pharmacologic activity of the various active ingredients that can be extracted from cannabis. The paper goes on further to consider the potential medical uses of these ingredients. The paper discusses some logistical issues in extracting certain ingredients and ways to maximize yields. There is also a section on the importance of delivering dose specific quantities of marijuana in a way that is both safe and efficacious.
With an eye on the economics, the paper considers the global tendency toward legalization of the production and distribution of marijuana for medical purposes. This includes many states in the U.S.; whereas other places, such as the U.K., are firmly refusing any use of marijuana for medical reasons.
In related news, some scientists are concerned about the lack of microbiological safety standards for marijuana noting the plant, in the dry form, is at risk from fungal growth and thus potential fungal infection for the person who uses it.
