On March 6, 2020, academic cooperation was signed between Prince of Songkla University and M&M Tokyo Limited Partnership at the Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University. PSU was represented by Asst. Prof. Dr. Sunton Wongsiri, M.D., PSU Vice President for Research and Innovation, while Mr. Masataka Matsunaga, director, signed on the company’s behalf. The cooperation centers on developing research related to cannabis, hemp and kratom (mitragyna speciose) for use by the private sector to develop a diverse range of quality products for commercial production.
The academic cooperation starts with the testing and analysis of cannabis, hemp and kratom substances that positively affect various human diseases and abnormal symptoms. These efficiency tests will involve the analysis of CBD, THC and mitragynine and their derivatives. The tests will be designed to minimize danger to laboratory animals and to operate within the scope of law, including regulations and internal announcements by both sectors.
To lead these efforts on PSU’s behalf, the university has assigned Assoc Prof. Dr. Ekkasit Kumarnsit, Department of Physiology, and Dr. Dania Cheha, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, to conduct initial tests regarding the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, depression, epilepsy and metabolic syndrome in mice, with A&M Tokyo Pub. Co., Ltd. as the sponsor.
