Written By: Shraddha Rupavate | Published : October 3, 2014 2:10 PM IST
According to a study that appeared in the journal the American Surgeon, an active ingredient in marijuana called tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, may be helpful in protecting those suffering from traumatic brain injuries.
For the study, researchers involved 446 patients who suffered traumatic brain injuries. Their urine samples were tested for the presence of THC. 82 out of 446 patients showed the presence of THC in their urine, of which only 2.4 percent died. 11.5 patients out of the remaining patients who were tested negative died.
From the results researchers noted that those with traumatic brain injuries who tested positive for THC were more likely to survive than those who tested negative. The study took into account the timing of their study because of current efforts to decriminalise marijuana and other research that has shown THC can increase appetite, reduce ocular pressure, decrease muscle spasms, relieve pain and alleviate symptoms associated with irritable bowel disease.
'This study was one of the first in a clinical setting to specifically associate THC use as an independent predictor of survival after traumatic brain injury,' said lead author David Plurad from the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) in the US. Previous studies conducted by other researchers had found certain compounds in marijuana helped protect the brain in animals after a trauma, Plurad added.
Source: IANS
Image source: Getty images
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