By Olivia Solon, Wired UK

Israeli researchers have developed a strain of medicinal marijuana that can ease symptoms of diseases such as arthritis without making patients "high".

[partner id="wireduk"] Marijuana use for medical purposes is legal in Israel, with around 9,000 patients holding government licenses to use the drug to treat ailments such as chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, and to stimulate the appetite of patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Many of its palliative properties appear to come from a substance called cannabidiol (CBD), which some research has shown to have anti-inflammatory advantages. CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning it barely binds with the brain's receptors. As a result, people can ingest it without getting high.

Meanwhile it is the tetrahydrocannabinol or THC that is best known for getting people high. THC acts on cannabinoid receptors in the brain and triggers a series of reactions that lead to the feeling of being stoned. These receptors are mainly found in the parts of the brain linked to pleasure, memory, concentration and sensory and time perception. It is the rising levels in THC in marijuana that has led to tabloid press dubbing some of the variants hitting the street as "superskunk".

Medical marijuana grower Tikun Olam has been developing a strain of cannabis that is high in CBD but very low in THC. It has managed to create one that has 15.8 percent CBD and less than one percent THC. This new strain is called Avidekel and seems to have the highest CBD to THC ratio of any other variant developed.

Tikun Olam's head of development Zack Klein told Reuters: "Sometimes the high is not always what they need. Sometimes it is an unwanted side effect. For some of the people it's not even pleasant."

A research team at the Hebrew University has been studying the effects of the CBD-enhanced cannabis on mice and plans to start clinical trials later this year. Despite this, Avidekel is already approved for medical use, so patients with marijuana licenses can already try it.

Image: cagrimmett/Flickr

Source: Wired.co.uk