Vijaya has been used medicinally for centuries to help alleviate gastrointestinal issues, from abdominal pain and intestinal infections to inflammatory diseases and motility issues.
Numerous studies, research, and clinical trials conducted by medical experts and Ayurvedic doctors over the years have revealed the involvement of the ECS in Vijaya’s treatment mechanism. Let us explore the effects of the ECS on the gut and how it works with Vijaya to help improve gut health.
The Endocannabinoid System
The renowned cannabinoid scientist, Ethan Russo, MD, said “The brain and the gut speak the same language.”
The ECS or the endocannabinoid system plays a vital role in the body’s health. It controls a variety of the body’s digestive functions like food intake, hunger signaling, digestion, nutrient absorption, gut motility, metabolism, development of gut bacteria, etc.
If the ECS does not function properly, it can cause various digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), obesity, indigestion, appetite loss, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, etc.
This system consists of endocannabinoids, the cannabinoid receptors that they bind to (CB1 and CB2), and the metabolic enzymes that break the endocannabinoids down after their work is done.
The CB1 receptors are particularly found in the cells of the stomach and colon, along with the intestinal lining cells. These receptors also contain nerve cells of the gut’s enteric nervous system (ENS), that control the gut’s activities and function.
On the other hand, the CB2 receptors are prominently found in the immune cells of the digestive tract. And the enzymes responsible for breaking down the ECS’s endocannabinoids are found along the entire tract.
How the ECS Affects the Gut
The endocannabinoid system acts on the gut in multiple ways:
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Regulates Pain And Inflammation
The ECS has a direct influence on the pain and inflammation in the gut. It activates the CB1 receptors in CNS regions responsible for controlling pain. This way, it regulates the transmission of pain signals to the gut and reduces abdominal pain sensation.
These activated CB1 receptors in the brain further help alleviate conditions like stress, depression, anxiety, etc. They do so by reducing the production of the primary stress hormone cortisol.
Besides that, the ECS activates the CB2 receptors in the immune cells to prevent them from producing inflammatory proteins. This decreases the risk of intestinal damage and helps alleviate inflammation in the gut and prevents inflammatory conditions like IBDs and IBS.
Activated CB2 receptors in the gut help prevent digestive diseases, strengthen the intestinal barrier, and stabilize food movement through the gut.
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Modulates Digestive Action
Gut motility refers to the contraction of the muscles in the digestive tract. This contracting movement allows food to easily pass through the track and ensures that the nutrients are properly absorbed. When the ECS’s CB1 receptors are stimulated, they reduce the production of the chemical messenger acetylcholine (ACH), which is responsible for muscle contractions.
Hence, the receptors help slow down the food’s movement in the tract to improve digestion and prevent conditions like diarrhea. This also calms conditions like nausea, abdominal pain, acidity, etc.
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Controls Two-Way Communication Between The Gut And The Brain
The gut and the brain communicate with each other through a dynamic network using many nerve pathways. This communication refers to the gut-brain axis. Numerous nerves run from the brain to the gut and transmit messages between them.
This enables the ECS components in the brain to be in constant communication with those in the gut. As a result, they work together to regulate the gut balance and prevent gut health issues.
This is the reason why changes in mental health can disrupt digestive function and vice versa. For instance, as per a study, administering probiotics not only improves digestion but also increases the activity of the CB2 receptors and helps alleviate abdominal pain.
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Increases Appetite
The ECS activates the CB1 receptors in the brain to increase the production of the hormones Ghrelin and Neuropeptide Y. these two hormones play a vital role in increasing appetite and hunger in people, as well as maintaining balance in the body (homeostasis).
This is especially beneficial for patients suffering from chronic conditions, as their treatment methods can cause reduced appetite and unwanted weight loss.
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Stops Reflux
At the end of the food canal, there is a muscle called the esophageal sphincter. If it relaxes, it opens up enough to allow the acids to flow into the stomach, causing reflux. The activation of the gut’s CB1 receptors helps decrease sphincter relaxation and alleviate reflux.
It further helps reduce the production of excess acid in the stomach, thus, reducing conditions like heartburn, ulcers, gastritis, etc.
How Vijaya Stimulates the ECS to Improve Gut Health
As seen above, activated cannabinoid receptors of the ECS improve gut health in various ways. Usually, the ECS’s own endocannabinoids stimulate those receptors. But sometimes, the body is unable to produce the necessary endocannabinoids for alleviating digestive issues, causing endocannabinoid deficiency.
This can be either due to an underlying disease or a genetic disorder. Hence, Ayurvedic doctors prescribe consuming Vijaya. This Ayurvedic medicine supplies the body with the required cannabinoids through its chemical compounds and directly helps improve ECS function.
It further influences gut health by binding to the CB1 and CB2 receptors there and helps the ECS act on the gut in the ways mentioned above.
In a recent study conducted on mice, it was seen that their gut bacteria affected their endocannabinoid signaling. This led to obesity, inflammation, and increased gut permeability (intestine walls becoming loose enough to allow harmful bacteria and toxins to enter the bloodstream).
Vijaya’s chemical compounds effectively prevented this condition by influencing the gut bacteria. They increased the production of the bacterial species associated with fat storage to help reduce obesity and aid weight loss. This Ayurvedic medicine also helped improve endocannabinoid signaling from the gut to the brain to improve overall gut health.
Vijaya for Gut Disorders
Its direct influence on the gut’s ECS makes Vijaya effective for alleviating various digestive health conditions. Ayurvedic doctors prescribe it in the form of herbal formulations like the bilwadi churna.
This effective Ayurvedic medicine helps relieve gastrointestinal conditions like
- Irritable bowel syndromes (IBS)
- Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs)
- Diarrhea and constipation.
Gas, bloating, and abdominal pain. It is because bilwadi churna uses Vijaya as its key ingredient.
A study conducted in 2020 showed that because of Vijaya’s effective and quick action on the gut’s endocannabinoid system, the utilization of conventional treatment methods by IBS patients was reduced! Another 2021 study revealed that Vijaya showed significant improvements in nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and overall well-being among patients suffering from IBD.
There have been numerous such studies and trials conducted by medical experts worldwide. To know more about how Vijaya and the ECS work together on the gut, contact Hempstreet and get the best medical consultation for yourself!
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4940133/
https://russellhavranekmd.com/endocannabinoid-system/
https://todayspractitioner.com/cannabis/the-endocannabinoid-system-and-the-gut/#.YrL7bEdBy03
https://www.fundacion-canna.es/en/endocannabinoid-system-gastrointestinal-tract
