Abstract Background The use of cannabidiol (CBD) has grown rapidly over the last few years. CBD has been purported to work on a range of conditions, including anxiety, pain, and psychosis. There has been recent interest in CBD as a treatment for age-related cognitive disorders due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Method Here, we tested the effects of chronic CBD administration on learning and memory in the SAMP8 mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. SAMP8 mice develop an age-related impairment in learning and memory which corresponds to an increase in amyloid-β (Aβ), hyperphosphorylated tau, oxidative stress, impaired efflux of Aβ across the blood-brain barrier...

ABSTRACT Glioma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor with poor survival and limited therapeutic options. The non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) has been shown to be effective against glioma; however, the molecular target and mechanism of action of CBD in glioma are poorly understood. Here we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the antitumor effect of CBD in preclinical models of human glioma. Our results showed that CBD induced autophagic rather than apoptotic cell death in glioma cells. We also showed that CBD induced mitochondrial dysfunction and lethal mitophagy arrest, leading to autophagic cell death. Mechanistically, calcium flux induced by CBD through TRPV4 (transient...

Abstract Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the primary non-euphoric components in the Cannabis sativa L. plant, has undergone clinical development over the last number of years as a therapeutic for patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndromes. This phytocannabinoid demonstrates functional and pharmacological diversity, and research data indicate that CBD is a comparable antioxidant to common antioxidants. This review gathers the latest knowledge regarding the impact of CBD on oxidative signalling, with focus on the proclivity of CBD to regulate antioxidants and control the production of reactive oxygen species. CBD is considered an attractive therapeutic agent for neuroimmune disorders, and a body of literature indicates...

Abstract People report substituting cannabis for pain medications, but whether cannabidiol (CBD) is used similarly remains unknown. CBD products can be CBD alone (isolate), hemp extract (containing <0.3% Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol [THC], other cannabinoids, and terpenes), or CBD-cannabis (containing >0.3% THC). In a secondary analysis from a cross-sectional survey, we examined substitution patterns among n = 878 individuals with fibromyalgia who currently used CBD. We sub-grouped participants by most commonly used CBD product (CBD isolate, hemp, CBD-cannabis, no preference) and whether they substituted CBD for medications. We investigated rationale for substituting, substitution-driven medication changes, CBD use patterns, and changes in pain-related symptoms (eg, sleep, anxiety). The...

Abstract To the Editor: Atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic relapsing inflammatory disorder characterized by pruritus, erythema, and dry skin, is estimated to affect up to 20% of children and 3% of adults [1]. Pruritus is one of the most distressing symptoms for patients with AD and when severe, can negatively impact patients’ quality of life [2]. Current treatments for AD, including topical corticosteroids, are effective yet limited by unfavorable side effects [4,5]. Complex neuro-cutaneous signaling in pruritus has proven to be a significant therapeutic challenge for physicians and patients. However, recent studies elucidating this mechanism has provided opportunity to explore neuromodulators, such as topical...

Abstract Although cannabis’ major psychoactive component, Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), has been linked to both earlier onset and poorer outcomes of psychotic disorders, Cannabidiol (CBD) seems to have different pharmacological mechanisms and potential therapeutic properties. However, no clinical study has investigated CBD for the treatment of co-occurring psychotic and cannabis use disorders so far, even though its utility seems grounded in a plausible biological basis. The aim of this work is thus to provide an overview of available clinical studies evaluating the efficacy of CBD for psychotic symptoms induced by THC, schizophrenia, and cannabis use disorders. After searching for relevant studies in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and...

Abstract Objectives The hair follicle is composed of more than 20 kinds of cells, and mesoderm derived dermal papilla cells and keratinocytes cooperatively contribute hair growth via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We are to investigate β-catenin expression and regulatory mechanism by CBD in alopecia hair tissues and dermal papilla cells. Methods We performed structural and anatomical analyses on alopecia patients derived hair tissues using microscopes. Pharmacological effect of CBD was evaluated by β-catenin expression using RT-PCR and immunostaining experiment. Results Morphological deformation and loss of cell numbers in hair shaft were observed in alopecia hair tissues. IHC experiment showed that loss of β-catenin expression was...

Abstract In patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy (TRE), cannabidiol (CBD) produces variable improvement in seizure control. Patients in the University of Alabama at Birmingham CBD Expanded Access Program (EAP) were enrolled in the genomic study and genotyped using the Affymetrix Drug Metabolizing Enzymes and Transporters plus array. Associations between variants and CBD response (≥50% seizure reduction) and tolerability (diarrhea, sedation, and abnormal liver function) was evaluated under dominant and recessive models. Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) influencing potential CBD targets was evaluated in the UK Brain Expression Consortium data set (Braineac), and genetic co-expression examined. Of 169 EAP patients, 112 (54.5% pediatric and 50.0% female)...

Abstract Background and Aim: Data on the clinical pharmacokinetics of cannabidiol (CBD) are scanty. We explored the effect of demographic and clinical variables on plasma concentrations of purified CBD in patients with Dravet (DS) and Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS). Methods: The study design was an open, prospective, multicenter expanded access program (EAP). Venous blood samples were drawn from patients between 8 and 9 am, before the CBD morning dose, 12 h apart from the last evening dose, and then 2.5 h after their usual morning dose. Results: We collected 127 plasma samples (67-morning pre-dosing and 60 post-dosing) from 43 patients (24 females, 19 males), 27...

Abstract Drug treatments available for the management of substance use disorders (SUD) present multiple limitations in efficacy, lack of approved treatments or alarming relapse rates. These facts hamper the clinical outcome and the quality of life of the patients supporting the importance to develop new pharmacological agents. Lately, several reports suggest that cannabidiol (CBD) presents beneficial effects relevant for the management of neurological disorders such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, or Alzheimer’s diseases. Furthermore, there is a large body of evidence pointing out that CBD improves cognition, neurogenesis and presents anxiolytic, antidepressant, antipsychotic, and neuroprotective effects suggesting potential usefulness for the treatment of neuropsychiatric...