Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Cannabis use in cancer care is increasingly common for symptom management, but emerging studies suggest potential interactions with immunotherapy that may reduce treatment efficacy. This review explores findings from recent studies, highlights the need for cautious interpretation and discusses the appropriateness of medicinal cannabis use during cancer immunotherapy. While three key studies (Taha et al., 2019; Bar-Sela et al., 2020; Hadid et al., 2024) observed lower response rates and reduced survival in patients using cannabis alongside immunotherapy, methodological concerns and demographic differences raise questions about their findings. Critiques by Piper et al. emphasise the need...

Abstract Medical cannabis (MC) describes the usually inhaled or ingested use of a cannabis plant or cannabis extract for medicinal purposes. The action of whole cannabis plants is extremely complex because their large number of active compounds not only bind to a plethora of different receptors but also interact with each other both synergistically and otherwise. Renewed interest in the medicinal properties of cannabis has led to increasing research into the practical uses of cannabis derivatives, and it has been found that the endocannabinoid system (particularly CB2 receptor activation) is a possible target for the treatment of inflammatory and the autoimmune diseases related to...

Abstract Cannabis continues to be the most used drug in the world today. Research shows that cannabis use is associated with a wide range of adverse health consequences that may involve almost every physiological and biochemical system including respiratory/pulmonary complications such as chronic cough and emphysema, impairment of immune function, and increased risk of acquiring or transmitting viral infections such as HIV, HCV, and others. The review of published research shows that cannabis use may impair immune function in many instances and thereby exerts an impact on viral infections including human immune deficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C infection (HCV), and human T-cell lymphotropic type...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Purpose Cannabis is commonly used among patients with cancer for palliative benefit. As the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cancer therapy increases, there is concern about potential interactions between ICIs and cannabis. Preclinical studies suggest that cannabis leads to immunosuppression, which could impair the function of ICIs. However, only a few clinical studies have investigated this relationship. The goal of this review is to synthesize reported immunomodulatory effects of cannabis in patients with and without cancer in order to better understand whether these preclinical findings translate to the clinical space. Methods A database...

Abstract Cannabinoids, derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, have garnered increasing attention for their potential therapeutic applications in various diseases. The pharmacologically active compounds in Cannabis, such as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, exhibit diverse immunomodulatory properties. Although studies have explored the effects of cannabinoids on immune function, their specific interactions with the thymus, a primary immune organ critical for T-cell development and maturation, remain an intriguing area of investigation. As the thymus plays a fundamental role in shaping the immune repertoire, understanding the interplay between cannabinoids and thymic function may shed light on potential benefits or concerns associated with Cannabis-based therapies. This article aims to provide an overview of...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Respiratory illnesses and its repercussions are becoming more prevalent worldwide. It is necessary to research both innovative treatment and preventative techniques. Millions of confirmed cases and fatalities from the COVID-19 epidemic occurred over the previous two years. According to the review research, cannabinoids are a class of medicines that should be considered for the treatment of respiratory conditions. Cannabinoids and inhibitors of endocannabinoid degradation have illustrated advantageous anti-inflammatory, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and pulmonary artery hypotension in numerous studies (in vitro and in vivo). It has been also noted that CB2 receptors on macrophages and T-helper cells may...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Cannabinoids can influence the immune network. Data on the impact of exogenous cannabinoid ligands on immune function serve not only to understand how the endocannabinoid system modulates immune phenomena associated with infection or inflammation, but also to identify therapeutic targets for immune diseases. Cannabinoids can modulate immune reactions in the periphery but also in the brain, influence T cell subset balance and cytokine expression and play a role in the balance between neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Immune cells can synthesize endocannabinoids and also be influenced by cannabinoid analogues. Cannabinoid receptors show different expression on immune cells depending on activation status and stimuli. The complexity of relation between cannabinoid ligands of various...

Abstract Cannabis use is frequent in HIV-infected individuals for its appetite stimulation and anti-inflammatory effects. To identify the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with these effects, we simultaneously profiled micro-RNA (miRNA) and mRNA expression in the colon of chronically simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus macaques administered either vehicle (VEH/SIV; n = 9) or Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC; THC/SIV; n = 8). Pro-inflammatory miR-130a, miR-222, and miR-29b, lipopolysaccharide-responsive miR-146b-5p and SIV-induced miR-190b were significantly upregulated in VEH/SIV rhesus macaques. Compared to VEH/SIV rhesus macaques, 10 miRNAs were significantly upregulated in THC/SIV rhesus macaques, among which miR-204 was confirmed to directly target MMP8, an extracellular matrix-degrading collagenase that was significantly downregulated in THC/SIV...

Abstract Cannabinoids, the biologically active constituents of Cannabis, have potent neuronal and immunological effects. However, the basic and medical research dedicated to medical cannabis and cannabinoids is limited. The influence of these treatments on hematologic reconstitution and on the development of graft versus host disease (GVHD) after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is largely unknown. In this research, we compared the influence of D9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) on lymphocyte activation in vitro and in murine BMT models. Our in vitro results demonstrate that these treatments decrease activated lymphocyte proliferation and affect cytokine secretion. We also discovered that CBD and THC utilize different receptors...

Abstract Background and Aims: The synthetic atypical cannabinoid Abn-CBD, a cannabidiol (CBD) derivative, has been recently shown to modulate the immune system in different organs, but its impact in obesity-related meta-inflammation remains unstudied. We investigated the effects of Abn-CBD on metabolic and inflammatory parameters utilizing a diet-induced obese (DIO) mouse model of prediabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Materials and Methods: Ten-week-old C57Bl/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet for 15 weeks, following a 2-week treatment of daily intraperitoneal injections with Abn-CBD or vehicle. At week 15 mice were obese, prediabetic and developed NAFLD. Body weight and glucose homeostasis were monitored. Mice were euthanized and...