Cannabis sativa Extracts Inhibit LDL Oxidation and the Formation of Foam Cells In Vitro, Acting as Potential Multi-Step Inhibitors of Atherosclerosis Development
20 December, 2024
Phytocannabinoids (natural compounds found in cannabis) can help reduce the harmful effects that lead to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries due to plaque buildup). They do this by:
- preventing LDL (bad cholesterol) from oxidising, which means stopping it from becoming damaging to artery walls
- reducing the creation of foam cells, which are cells filled with fat that contribute to plaque buildup in artery walls
- decreasing the production of scavenger receptors on cells, which normally help in taking up oxidised LDL but can worsen plaque formation if overactive. This is done by blocking a process called NFκB activation, which is involved in inflammation and cell behaviour.
The findings support the idea that medicinal cannabis might be useful in treating or preventing atherosclerosis because of these beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system.
Faculty of Sciences, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Laboratory of Enzymology, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay; Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States of America
Efficacy and Safety of Transdermal Medical Cannabis (THC:CBD:CBN formula) to Treat Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the Lower Extremities
14 November, 2024
NORML report on a study of transdermal application of oil extracts containing plant-derived cannabinoids that significantly reduced diabetic neuropathy, published in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids. Thai investigators conducted a Phase III, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 100 patients. Participants received either transdermal formulations containing THC (3.20 mg/drop), CBD (0.32 mg/drop) and CBN (0.65 mg/drop) or a placebo (coconut oil) for 12 weeks.
“Mean total NPSI-T (Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory) scores decreased markedly from 25.60 to 5.57 in the treatment cohort” researchers reported. “GEE (Generalised Estimating Equation) analysis revealed significant pain amelioration at weeks four, eight and twelve. The cannabis formulation exhibited an excellent safety profile, with only 10% of participants reporting mild adverse events, comparable to placebo group outcomes”.
The study’s authors concluded: “This novel transdermal medical cannabis formulation (consisting of THC, CBD and CBN) demonstrated significant therapeutic efficacy in ameliorating painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) symptoms while maintaining a favourable safety profile. These findings provide robust clinical evidence supporting its potential as an innovative therapeutic option for managing painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy”.
Prior studies have similarly shown that a wide range of cannabis formulations, including vaporised cannabis flower, oral CBD extracts and aerosolised THC can mitigate neuropathic pain.
Harnessing Cannabis sativa Oil for Enhanced Skin Wound Healing
30 September, 2024
A scientific review says cannabis oil may help promote the healing of skin wounds, finding that it offers promising benefits. The review looked specifically at how cannabis oil can reduce so-called “reactive oxygen species” (ROS) during the healing of wounds. Those chemicals play a crucial role in wound development by causing cell and tissue damage.
“Increased ROS levels can hinder wound healing by exacerbating inflammation and cellular damage” the review, in the journal Pharmaceutics says. Cannabis oil “may help mitigate oxidative damage by scavenging ROS and upregulating antioxidative mechanisms, potentially enhancing wound healing”.
“Cannabis oil, especially its primary bioactive constituents, CBD and THC, demonstrates considerable potential in facilitating skin wound healing by modifying oxidative stress via the regulation of reactive oxygen species” the review states. “Additionally, the antibacterial and analgesic properties of cannabis contribute to reducing the microbial load and minimising the complications associated with chronic wounds” authors added, “thereby enhancing the overall healing efficacy”.
L J University; Saraswati Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Parul University; Ganpat University; L. M. College of Pharmacy; Gujarat University, Gujarat, India. Faculty of Pharmacy, Silpakorn University; Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Thailand
Cannabis Edibles Reduce Chronic Lower Back Pain
24 September, 2024
The consumption of cannabis-infused edible products, particularly those higher in THC content, provides acute relief for patients with chronic lower back pain. University of Colorado at Boulder researchers assessed use of three distinct edible products (THC-dominant, CBD-dominant, or products containing similar amounts of THC and CBD) in 249 subjects with low back pain. Participants consumed the products for two weeks.
Researchers evaluated changes in patients’ pain intensity and subjective mood, assessed at the conclusion of the study. “Pain intensity following edible cannabis use decreased over time across all three broadly defined product groups” investigators reported. Decreases in pain intensity were most pronounced in patients who consumed THC-dominant edibles. CBD-dominant products were “primarily associated with short-term tension relief” rather than significant reductions in acute pain.
The study’s authors concluded: “These findings support the short-term analgesic effects of THC and anxiolytic effects of CBD … [and] indicate that edible cannabis may be a safe and suitable alternative pain therapy for those looking to substitute more traditional pain medications”.
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Arts and Sciences; Institute of Cognitive Science; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, USA
Fibromyalgia Patients Report Improved Symptoms Following Cannabis Use
April, 2024
Fibromyalgia (FM) patients frequently use cannabis therapeutically and most say it improves their disease symptoms, according to, “A cross-sectional survey study of cannabis use for fibromyalgia symptom management”, published in April 2024 in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Researchers affiliated with the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota USA (legalised medicinal use in 2015) surveyed 1,336 patients withfibromyalgia.
Half (49.5%) acknowledged using cannabis following their diagnosis. Ninety-nine percent reported using cannabis for pain and 94% reported using it to mitigate stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia. Eighty-two percent said it reduced their FM-related pain and most respondents also rated cannabis as effective in mitigating other disease symptoms.
Authors acknowledged that cannabis use among FM patients is “widespread” and most patients perceive it to have a “favourable impact on pain, stress and sleep disturbances”. Recent observational trial data from Germany and the United Kingdom reports that FM patients typically reduce their use of other prescription medications following their use of cannabis products.
Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol for Pain Treatment—An Update on the Evidence
29 January, 2024
Cannabinoids are an attractive pain management option due to their synergistic effects when administered with opioids, thereby also limiting the extent of respiratory depression. On their own, however, cannabinoids have been shown to have the potential to relieve specific subtypes of chronic pain in adults. Among these subtypes are neuropathic, musculoskeletal, cancer and geriatric pain. Another interesting feature is their effectiveness in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).
Palliative Medicine Clinic, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.