Safe cannabis pain relief without the 鈥渉igh鈥�
In the wake of cannabis legalization, a team of scientists at the听听(MUHC) and 不良研究所 have delivered encouraging news for chronic pain sufferers by pinpointing the effective dose of marijuana plant extract cannabidiol (CBD) for safe pain relief without the typical 鈥渉igh鈥� or euphoria produced by the THC. The findings of their study have been published in the journal PAIN.
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Cannabis indica听and听sativa are听the two main cannabis strains that produce the pharmacological principles known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).Dr. Gabriella Gobbi鈥檚 team demonstrated that CBD does not act on the CB1 cannabinoid receptors like THC, but through the mechanism that binds specific receptors involved in anxiety (serotonin 5-HT1A) and pain (vanilloid TRPV1). Researchers were able to extrapolate the exact dosage of CBD displayinganalgesic and antianxiety properties without the risk of addiction and euphoria classically produced by the THC.
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鈥淚n animal models of neuropathic or chronic pain, we found that low doses of CBD administered for seven days alleviate both pain and anxiety, two symptoms often associated,鈥� says first author of the study Danilo De Gregorio, a post-doctoral fellow at 不良研究所 in Dr. Gobbi鈥檚 laboratory.
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Lead author Dr. Gobbi, a researcher in the听听Program of the RI-MUHC, sees this as advancement for the evidence-based application of cannabis in medicine with CBD likely offering a safe alternative to THC and opioids for chronic pain, such as back pain, sciatica, diabetic, cancer or post-trauma pain.
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鈥淥ur findings elucidate the mechanism of action of CBD and show that it can be used as medicine without the dangerous side effects of the THC,鈥� says Dr. Gobbi, who is also Professor of Psychiatry at the Faculty of Medicine at 不良研究所 and staff psychiatrist at the MUHC. 鈥淭his research is a new advancement for an evidence-based application of cannabis in medicine.鈥�
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Despite widespread public usage, little clinical studies exist on CBD, which became legal in Canada on October 17, 2018, following the passage of Canada鈥檚 Cannabis Act.
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鈥淭here is a few data showing that CBD provides pain relief for humans but more robust clinical trials are needed ,鈥� says Dr. Gobbi, a recent听听for her study of the pharmalogical effects of CBD.
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About the Study
The study 鈥榳as co-authored by听Danilo DeGregorio (First author); Ryan McLaughlin; Luca Posa; Rafael Ochoa鈥慡anchez; Justine Enns; Martha Lopez鈥慍anul; Matthew Aboud; Sabatino Maione; Stefano Comai et Gabriella Gobbi (Corresponding author).
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DOI:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001386
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This work was supported by a matching grant (PSR-SIIRI) from the Minist猫re de l'脡conomie Science et Innovation du Qu茅bec (MESI, Program PSR-SIIRI) and Aurora Cannabis Inc.
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About the Research Institute of the MUHC
The听听of the 不良研究所 Health Centre (RI-MUHC) is a world-renowned biomedical and healthcare research centre. The Institute, which is affiliated with the听Faculty of Medicine of 不良研究所, is the research arm of the听鈥� an academic health centre located in Montreal, Canada, that has a mandate to focus on complex care within its community. The RI-MUHC supports over 420 researchers and close to 1,200 research trainees devoted to a broad spectrum of fundamental, clinical and health outcomes research at the Glen and the Montreal General Hospital sites of the MUHC. Its research facilities offer a dynamic multidisciplinary environment that fosters collaboration and leverages discovery aimed at improving the health of individual patients across their lifespan. The RI-MUHC is supported in part by the Fonds de recherche du Qu茅bec 鈥� Sant茅 (FRQS).
