“Background: The survey of Copeia captured early 2022 patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in Germany under cannabis medicinal product (CAM) therapy, with particular attention to symptoms, symptom changes, indications, side effects, dosages, and cost bearers.
Goal: This study investigated the question of whether associations emerge from the results that could play a role in the indication and treatment monitoring of CAM in chronically ill patients.
Materials and methods: A standardized questionnaire was administered online nationwide in dialogue form over a 15-week period to collect itemized symptoms and PRO. Recruitment was supported by pharmacies, prescribing physicians, and patient associations. Inclusion criteria included physician-prescribed CAM therapy.
Results and discussion: Of 1582 participants, 1030 data sets (65%) could be completely analyzed. There was a heterogeneous patient population, whose common feature was disease chronicity. The frequency distribution of symptoms showed a homogeneous pattern for the respective indications, in which the most frequent six (pain 71%, sleep disturbance 64%, stress/tension 52%, inner restlessness 52%, depressive mood 44% and muscle tension 43%) seem to have a special significance.
According to subjective assessment, quality of life improved significantly in 84% of all participating patients.
Conclusion: A symptom matrix (SMX) composed of different symptoms seems to play a special role in CAM therapy to improve the quality of life of chronically ill patients, regardless of the underlying disease. The SMX could contribute to the identification of an indication and to targeted treatment monitoring.”
“A well-known effect of cannabis is the promotion of appetite. However, the neurobiological mechanism behind this stimulation is still unknown. A study in Scientific Reports demonstrates that neurons within the mediobasal hypothalamus, particularly in the arcuate nucleus, have a role in stimulating rat feeding behavior linked to cannabis exposure. When compared with animals exposed to air, rats exposed to cannabis exhibited an increase in food intake and locomotion in the presence of food. Additionally, these rats showed an increase in the activity of mediobasal hypothalamic neurons when exposed to cannabis vapors. Chemically inducing the activation of the cannabinoid receptor 1 in mice, located in the arcuate nucleus region, attenuated the inhibition of hunger-promoting mediobasal hypothalamic neurons. By contrast, inhibition of arcuate nucleus neurons decreased appetite, showing the important role of these neurons in hunger behavior. These data provide a mechanistic insight into how cannabis impacts appetite, offering potential treatment avenues for eating disorders.”
“Background: The United States (US) continues to experience unprecedented rates of overdose mortality and there is increased need to identify effective harm reduction practices. Research from Canada describes cannabis donation through harm reduction agencies as an adjunctive strategy to mitigate the negative consequences of more harmful drugs. This case study describes the operational logistics, feasibility, and potential benefits of a cannabis donation program that was operated through a harm reduction program in rural Michigan.
Case presentation: We applied a community driven research approach to gather information from harm reduction program staff about the implementation and evolution of cannabis donation efforts in Michigan. We also examined 20-months (September 2021 through May 2023) of administrative data from a cannabis company to compare the sale and donation of cannabis products. Ten cannabis-experienced harm reduction clients received cannabis donations, with clinical staff determining client interest and appropriateness, and providing weekly pick-up or delivery. To expand product availability and sustainability, we examined administrative data from a commercialcannabis company that volunteered to provide donations. This administrative data suggests that while flower products constitute most of the adult and medical sales, edible, oil, and topical products predominated donations. Further, cost analysis suggests that donations represent only 1% of total gross sales and account for much less than the expected yearly donation amount.
Conclusions: Research suggests there is potential to reduce alcohol and drug use related harms of more dangerous substances through substitution with cannabis. This case study is the first to document cannabis donation as a harm reduction practice in the US and suggests potential for sustainability dependent on state laws. Findings from this case study provide a starting point for inquiry into cannabis donation as a harm reduction strategy in the US; future research is needed to fully understand the individual-level outcomes, public health impacts, necessary legal regulations, and best practices for cannabis donation programs through harm reduction organizations.”
“Despite billions spent at federal, state, and local levels, the US continues to face a drug overdose public health crisis. As illustrated in this case study, cannabis donation through harm reduction is happening in the US. While the policies surrounding the regulation and distribution of cannabis can still present barriers towards this practice, harm reduction staff working in the field see the potential benefits of cannabis, which include reduced premature death [17, 49], improved quality of life [50, 51], pain moderation [29, 52,53,54], increased recovery outcomes [10, 15, 55, 56], and improved safety for clients and community [57, 58]. Future research should focus on assessing whether this harm reduction practice is achieving any of these outcomes. Until then, given the ongoing overdose mortality stemming from illicitly produced fentanyl and other synthetic contaminants saturating the unregulated drug market, and the potential benefits of cannabis in reducing this unregulated substance use, harm reduction practitioners will continue to support client self-determination, and mutual aid in all forms, including available safe psychoactive substances, for persons who use drugs.”
“Cannabinoids have emerged as compelling candidates for medicinal applications, notably following the recent approval of non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) as a medicine. This endorsement has stimulated a growing interest in this class of compounds for drug discovery. Within the cannabis plant, a rich reservoir of over 125 compounds exists. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a member of the dibenzopyran class, is widely recognized for its psychoactive effects. Conversely, the furanoid class, represented by cannabielsoin-type (CBE) and cannabifuran-type (CBF) compounds, has not been reported with psychoactivity and demonstrates a spectrum of pharmacological potential. The transition from the pyran structure of THC to the furan structure of CBE seems to mark a shift from psychoactive to non-psychoactive properties, but a comprehensive examination of other members in this class is essential for a complete understanding. Building on these observations, our thorough review delves into the subject, offering a comprehensive exploration of furanoid cannabinoids, covering aspects such as their biosynthesis, classification, synthesis, and medicinal potential. The aim of this review is to encourage and catalyze increased research focus in this promising area of cannabinoid exploration.”
“Background and aims: Cannabis and its various derivatives are commonly used for both recreational and medicinal purposes. Cannabinoids have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is an important component of wound healing and the effect of cannabinoids on wound healing has become a recent topic of investigation. The objective of this article is to perform a comprehensive review of the literature to summarize the effects of cannabinoids on wound healing of the skin and to guide future avenues of research.
Methods: A comprehensive literature review was performed to evaluate the effects of cannabinoids on cutaneous wound healing.
Results: Cannabinoids appear to improve skin wound healing through a variety of mechanisms. This is supported through a variety of in vitro and animal studies. Animal studies suggest application of cannabinoids may improve the healing of postsurgical and chronic wounds. There are few human studies which evaluate the effects of cannabinoids on wound healing and many of these are case series and observational studies. They do suggest cannabinoids may have some benefit. However, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn from them.
Conclusion: While further human studies are needed, topical application of cannabinoids may be a potential therapeutic option for postsurgical and chronic wounds.”
“Methotrexate (MTX) is a widely used medication for various cancers, yet its use is associated with adverse effects on organs, notably the lungs.
Cannabidiol (CBD), known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, was investigated for its potential protective effects against MTX-induced lung injury.
Thirty-two female Wistar Albino rats were divided into four groups: control, MTX (single 20 mg/kg intraperitoneal dose), MTX + CBD (single 20 mg/kg MTX with 0.1 ml of 5 mg/kg CBD for 7 days intraperitoneally) and CBD only (for 7 days). Lung tissues were analysed using histopathological, immunohistochemical and PCR methods after the study. Histopathological assessment of the MTX group revealed lung lesions like hyperemia, edema, inflammatory cell infiltration and epithelial cell loss. Immunohistochemical examination showed significant increases in Cas-3, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) expressions. PCR analysis indicated elevated expressions of apoptotic peptidase activating factor 1 (Apaf 1), glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP 78), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) and cytochrome C (Cyt C), along with reduced B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL 2) expressions in the MTX group, though not statistically significant.
Remarkably, CBD treatment reversed these findings.
This study highlights CBD’s potential in mitigating MTX-induced lung damage, suggesting its therapeutic promise.”
“The findings from this study underscore the remarkable effectiveness of CBD in preventing histopathological damage within the lungs induced by MTX. The marked reduction observed in hyperemia, edema and infiltration, coupled with its notable reparative effects on epithelial loss, highlights the multifaceted benefits of CBD in mitigating pulmonary issues of MTX. Importantly, the statistical analysis revealed a significant improvement across all histopathological scoring parameters (p < 0.001). This reinforces the potential of CBD as a promising therapeutic agent for MTX-induced lung lesions and warrants further exploration in clinical settings. This study has demonstrated for the first time the reparative effects of CBD on the pathological findings induced by MTX in the lungs. There is now a need for novel and comprehensive research on the therapeutic utilization of CBD for this purpose.”
“Cystic echinococcosis is a global parasitic zoonosis caused by infection with the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. Cystic echinococcosis affects more than 1 million people worldwide, causing important economic costs in terms of management and livestock associated losses. Albendazole is the main drug used in treating human cystic echinococcosis. In spite of this, its low aqueous solubility, poor absorption, and consequently erratic bioavailability are the cause of its chemotherapeutic failures. Based on the described problem, new treatment alternatives urgently need to be developed.
The aim of the present research was to study the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD), the second most abundant component of the Cannabis sativa plant, was demonstrated against E. granulosus sensu stricto. CBD (50 µg/mL) caused a decrease in protoscoleces viability of 80 % after 24 h of treatment which was consistent with the observed tegumental alterations. Detachment of the germinal layer was observed in 50 ± 10% of cysts treated with 50 µg/mL of CBD during 24 h. In the clinical efficacy study, all treatments reduced the weight of cysts recovered from mice compared with the control group. However, this reduction was only significant with ABZ suspension and the CBD + ABZ combination.
As we could observe by the SEM study, the co-administration of CBD with ABZ suspension caused greater ultrastructural alteration of the germinal layer in comparison with that provoked with the monotherapy. Further in vivo research will be conducted by changing the dose and frequency of CBD and CBD + ABZ treatments and new available CBD delivery systems will also be assayed to improve bioavailability in vivo.”
“Cannabis is a plant that is cultivated worldwide, and its use is internationally regulated, but some countries have been regulating its medicinal, social, and industrial uses. This plant must have arrived in Peru during the Spanish conquest and remains widely cultivated illicitly or informally to this day. However, new regulations are currently being proposed to allow its legal commercialization for medicinal purposes.
Cannabis contains specific metabolites known as cannabinoids, some of which have clinically demonstrated therapeutic effects. It is now possible to quantitatively measure the presence of these cannabinoids in dried inflorescences, thus allowing for description of the chemical profile or “chemotype” of cannabinoids in each sample.
This study analyzed the chemotypes of eight samples of dried inflorescences from cannabis cultivars in four different regions of Peru, and based on the significant variation in the cannabinoid profiles, we suggest their therapeutic potential.
The most important medical areas in which they could be used include the following: they can help manage chronic pain, they have antiemetic, anti-inflammatory, and antipruritic properties, are beneficial in treating duodenal ulcers, can be used in bronchodilators, in muscle relaxants, and in treating refractory epilepsy, have anxiolytic properties, reduce sebum, are effective on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, are proapoptotic in breast cancer, can be used to treat addiction and psychosis, and are effective on MRSA, in controlling psoriasis, and in treating glioblastoma, according to the properties of their concentrations of cannabidiol, cannabigerol, and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, as reviewed in the literature. On the other hand, having obtained concentrations of THC, we were able to suggest the psychotropic capacity of said samples, one of which even fits within the legal category of “non-psychoactive cannabis” according to Peruvian regulations.”
“High-fat diet (HFD) contributes to neuroinflammation forming, hence it is crucial to find safe and effective substances that are able to counteract its progress. The anti-inflammatory properties of phytocannabinoids acquired from the Cannabis plant have been widely acknowledged. We evaluated the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) treatment on induced by applying HFD early stages of neuroinflammation in Wistar rat cerebral cortex.
In our 7-week experiment, CBD was injected intraperitoneally over the last 14days at a dose of 10 mg/kg of body weight once a day. The level of arachidonic acid, a precursor to pro-inflammatory eicosanoids, decreased in all analysed lipid classes after CBD administration to the HFD group. Moreover, the extent of diminishing the activity of the omega-6 (n-6) fatty acid pathway by CBD was the greatest in diacylglycerols and phospholipids. Surprisingly, CBD was also capable of downregulating the activity of the omega-3 (n-3) pathway. The expression of enzymes involved in the synthesis of the eicosanoids was significantly increased in the HFD group and subsequently lowered by CBD. Significant changes in various cytokines levels were also discovered.
Our results strongly suggest the ability of CBD to reduce the formation of lipid inflammation precursors in rat cerebral cortex, as a primary event in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. This can raise hopes for the future use of this cannabinoid for therapeutic purposes since it is a substance lacking lasting and severe side effects.”
“To summarize all of the above evidence, the CBD action suggests, that it could hold a great potential for possibly alleviating the inflammatory response by interfering with the eicosanoid synthesis process. As a compound with a fairly simple chemical structure and lipophilic qualities, it has a high ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, which is an obstacle that many other pharmaceuticals, whose targets are located within the brain, cannot overcome.”
“Even though the Cannabis plant has been present in the history of humankind for hundreds of years, we ought not to stop looking for new potential applications of its constituents, especially in the clinical medicine of the future, which in the first place should be safe and effective.”
“Memory improving and anti-inflammatory properties of cannabidiol (CBD) were investigated in an experimental model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation.”
“Cannabis sativa is a plant that has been cultivated by humans and utilized in medicine since ancient times.”
“Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the most important Cannabis-derived molecules,”
“CBD improved spatial working and recognition memory in rats with LPS-induced inflammation. Suppression of IL-1β production could be attributed to the observed effect.”
