Every person has a biological clock which makes them wake up at the same time everyday, and have the body’s entire system run in a regular schedule each day. This biological clock is governing our body with an approximate cycle of 24 hours which is related to the Earth’s rotation time. The interesting fact about biological clock or circadian rhythm is that it also found in the main components or clocks across organisms.

The researchers at Northwestern University have accomplished the first study on circadian rhythm on various organisms. They found out that there is a one gene that we can call as clock gene which has the same function on different organism from invertebrates to mammals. The rudimentary clock system that has been preserved seems to be formed by the three clock genes and it’s found in almost every organism.

Whether the clock is on or off, the regular variety of activities will work in a circulation. This is why, if we experience an extreme time difference, we will feel something called jet lag or many sleep disorders. By studying Circadian Rhythms, the scientists hope they can predict certain anomalies which often occur on particular times in a day such as heart attack which mostly happen in the early morning.

Marijuana or Cannabis is often used to alleviate pain. The usage is still become a controversy, especially because it can arouse addiction which may lead to various disorders. Do you know that our brain is actually producing cannabinoid substance which pharmacologically similar to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabitol (THT), one of he compounds contained by marijuana? Well, researches at Brown University have shown that our brain is actually naturally produces anandamide which is a cannabinoid substance to suppress pain.

Anesthetized rats which electrically stimulated on the periaqueductal gray area (PAG) which is a part of mammals’ brain that is work as pain suppressor, and then the amount of anandamide produced during the stimulation process measured with an atmospheric pressure-chemical ionization mass spectrometry machine. And the result is, even though only found in extremely small quantities, the brain is producing anandamidae if it is stimulated with pain.

The amount of anandamidae produced was increased when the rats are injected with formalin. This fact proves that our brain uses a cannabinoid substance which is anandamidae to control the sensitivity of the pain. This research is more accentuating the importance of pain suppressor substance to alleviate the pain. However, the usage must be controlled in adequate amount. The substance it self will not heal the pain source. It only will alleviate the pain without solving the main problem.