Plasma Ghrelin Concentration and Obesity: The Effect of Smoked Drugs
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- Category: Vol. 77, September 2009
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Plasma Ghrelin Concentration and Obesity: The Effect of Smoked Drugs,MIE AFIFY, NERVANA SAMY, MAHA HASHIM, ABEER EL KHAYYAL, AMAL RAMADAN and ABEER ARAFA
Abstract
Cannabis remains one of the most widely abused drugs worldwide. This study was carried on 107 non-diabetic males, 63 were smoking cannabis in order to examine the effect of smoking cannabis on the level of ghrelin concentration in plasma and to explain the cause of obesity in cannabis smoking. The studied group (63 subjects) were selected according to their BMI (body mass index) and sub-grouped to: Group 1: Included 34 obese persons with BMI >30kg/m2. Group 2: Included 29 non-obese persons with BMI <30kg/m2 and they were instructed not to use any form of cannabis for 4 weeks and to come again for recheck for cannabis level in urine. Beside 44 healthy persons (negative for cannabis in urine) were selected as control groups and were divided into two groups according to their BMI: Group 3: Included 23 obese persons with BMI >30kg/m2. Group 4: Included 21 non-obese persons with BMI <30kg/m2. Complete medical examinations and the BMI was calculated, plasma glucose level was esti-mated, human plasma ghrelin was measured in a fasting state, and urinary cannabis level was estimated by the Emit II plus Cannabinoid Assay.
The results showed that, Fasting plasma ghrelin concen-trations were low in obese subjects (groups 1 & 3) compared with non obese subjects (groups 2 & 4). While plasma ghrelin concentrations were higher in all patients using cannabis (groups 1 & 2) compared with control subjects (groups 3 & 4). Plasma ghrelin level was negatively correlated with BMI in groups 1 & 2 with correlation coefficient r=–0.8549, –0.81177 respectively. Also, the results showed that, plasma ghrelin was positively correlated with the A9-THC urine level in the first visit in both groups 1 & 2 with correlation coefficient r=0.9150 & 0.8889 respectively.
These findings concluded that ghrelin is a potentially important peripheral signal to the brain stimulating food intake in cannabis smoking. Also the results provide an evidence for a functional relationship between urinary cannabinoid levels and plasma ghrelin concentration in the control of food intake among cannabis smoking and their relation to the obesity.
Key Words: Cannabis – Ghrelin – Obesity.