Richmond, VA: THC, when administered in combination with morphine, acts synergistically to reduce symptoms of chronic pain, according to preclinical data to be published in the European Journal of Pharmacology.

Investigators at Virginia Commonwealth University's Department of Pharmacology assessed the antinociceptive interaction between cannabinoids and morphine in an animal model of arthritis. The administration of THC enhanced morphine's anti-inflammatory activity on chronic pain, researchers concluded.

Preclinical data published last year in the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia reported that the co-administration of cannabinoids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) also act synergistically to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation.

Clinical trial data published in the February 2007 edition of the journal Neurology reported that inhaled cannabis significantly reduces HIV-associated neuropathy, a painful nerve condition that often goes untreated with standard pain medications.

Full text of the study, "Synergy between Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol and morphine in the arthritic rat," will appear in the European Journal of Pharmacology.