Abstract Importance  Cannabis and cannabinoid drugs are widely used to treat disease or alleviate symptoms, but their efficacy for specific indications is not clear. Objective  To conduct a systematic review of the benefits and adverse events (AEs) of cannabinoids. Data Sources  Twenty-eight databases from inception to April 2015. Study Selection  Randomized clinical trials of cannabinoids for the following indications: nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy, appetite stimulation in HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity due to multiple sclerosis or paraplegia, depression, anxiety disorder, sleep disorder, psychosis, glaucoma, or Tourette syndrome. Data Extraction and Synthesis  Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. All review stages were conducted independently...

Please use this link to access this publication: https://journals.lww.com/pain/abstract/2018/10000/cannabis_and_cannabinoids_for_the_treatment_of.6.aspx Abstract This review examines evidence for the effectiveness of cannabinoids in chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) and addresses gaps in the literature by: considering differences in outcomes based on cannabinoid type and specific CNCP condition; including all study designs; and following IMMPACT guidelines. MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, and clinicaltrials.gov were searched in July 2017. Analyses were conducted using Revman 5.3 and Stata 15.0. A total of 91 publications containing 104 studies were eligible (n = 9958 participants), including 47 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and 57 observational studies. Forty-eight studies examined neuropathic pain, 7 studies examined fibromyalgia, 1...

Please use this link to access this publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/j.1532-2149.2013.00445.x Abstract Background: Peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP) associated with allodynia poses a significant clinical challenge. The efficacy of Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabinol/cannabidiol (THC/CBD) oromucosal spray, a novel cannabinoid formulation, was investigated in this 15-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group study. Methods: In total, 303 patients with PNP associated with allodynia were screened; 128 were randomized to THC/CBD spray and 118 to placebo, in addition to their current analgesic therapy. The co-primary efficacy endpoints were the 30% responder rate in PNP 0-10 numerical rating scale (NRS) score and the mean change from baseline to the end of treatment in this score. Various...

Abstract Background There has been increased interest in the role of cannabis for treating medical conditions. The availability of different cannabis-based products can make the side effects of exposure unpredictable. We sought to conduct a scoping review of systematic reviews assessing benefits and harms of cannabis-based medicines for any condition. Methods A protocol was followed throughout the conduct of this scoping review. A protocol-guided scoping review conduct. Searches of bibliographic databases (e.g., MEDLINE®, Embase, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library) and gray literature were performed. Two people selected and charted data from systematic reviews. Categorizations emerged during data synthesis. The reporting of results from systematic reviews...

Please use this link to access this publication: https://www.jns-journal.com/article/S0022-510X(20)30053-8/fulltext Abstract The role of cannabis in medicine is rapidly evolving. Medical cannabis is now legal in a majority of states, and THC and CBD, the prominent cannabinoids found in cannabis, have both been utilized in the development of FDA-approved drugs. Due to the complicated legal status of cannabis and cannabinoids, as well as regulations that vary from state to state, the appropriate use of these substances for both patients as well as clinicians is often unclear. Advancements in the understanding of the pharmacology of cannabis have led to numerous proposed uses of these drugs, including as...

Abstract Background: Medicinal cannabinoids, including medicinal cannabis, pharmaceutical cannabinoids and their synthetic derivatives, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and or cannabidiol (CBD), have been suggested to have a therapeutic role for certain mental health conditions. The primary objective was to review the evidence for cannabinoids in treating symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Tic/Tourette syndrome, and psychosis, either as the primary condition or secondary to other conditions. Secondary outcomes included quality of life and global functioning. Methods: We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished studies (1980-2018) using MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials, clinicaltrials.gov,...

Abstract Mood disorders are the most prevalent mental conditions encountered in psychiatric practice. Numerous patients suffering from mood disorders present with treatment-resistant forms of depression, co-morbid anxiety, other psychiatric disorders and bipolar disorders. Standardized essential oils (such as that of Lavender officinalis) have been shown to exert clinical efficacy in treating anxiety disorders. As endocannabinoids are suggested to play an important role in major depression, generalized anxiety and bipolar disorders, Cannabis sativa was suggested for their treatment. The endocannabinoid system is widely distributed throughout the body including the brain, modulating many functions. It is involved in mood and related disorders, and its activity may be modified...

Abstract The antidepressant action of cannabis as well as the interaction between antidepressants and the endocannabinoid system has been reported. This study was conducted to assess the antidepressant-like activity of Delta(9)-THC and other cannabinoids. Cannabinoids were initially evaluated in the mouse tetrad assay to determine doses that do not induce hypothermia or catalepsy. The automated mouse forced swim (FST) and tail suspension (TST) tests were used to determine antidepressant action. At doses lacking hypothermic and cataleptic effects (1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg, i.p.), both Delta(9)-THC and Delta(8)-THC showed a U-shaped dose response with only Delta(9)-THC showing significant antidepressant-like effects at 2.5 mg/kg (p<0.05) in...

Abstract Patients with advanced cancer who have pain that responds poorly to opioid therapy pose a clinical challenge. Nabiximols (Nabiximols is the U.S. Adopted Name [USAN] for Sativex [GW Pharma Ltd, Wiltshire, U.K.], which does not yet have an INN), a novel cannabinoid formulation, is undergoing investigation as add-on therapy for this population. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, graded-dose study, patients with advanced cancer and opioid-refractory pain received placebo or nabiximols at a low dose (1-4 sprays/day), medium dose (6-10 sprays/day), or high dose (11-16 sprays/day). Average pain, worst pain and sleep disruption were measured daily during 5 weeks of treatment; other questionnaires measured...

Please use this link to access this publication: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0303846720303334?via%3Dihub Abstract Objective: Moderate to severe spasticity is commonly reported in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and its management is still a challenge. Cannabinoids were recently suggested as add-on therapy for the treatment of spasticity and chronic pain in MS but there is no conclusive scientific evidence on their safety, especially on cognition and over long periods. The aim of this prospective pilot study was to assess the long-term effects of a tetrahydrocannabinol-cannabidiol (THC/CBD) oromucosal spray (Sativex®) on cognition, mood and anxiety. Patients and methods: An extensive and specific battery of neuropsychological tests (Symbol Digit Modalities Test-SDMT, California Verbal Learning Test-CVLT,...