Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Purpose of review: There is increasing interest in the use of cannabis and cannabinoid therapies (CCT) by the general population and among people with headache disorders, which results in a need for healthcare professionals to be well versed with the efficacy and safety data. In this manuscript, we review cannabis and cannabinoid terminology, the endocannabinoid system and its role in the central nervous system (CNS), the data on efficacy, safety, tolerability, and potential pitfalls associated with use in people with migraine and headache disorders. We also propose possible mechanisms of action in headache disorders and debunk...

Abstract In recent years, the medical use of cannabinoids has attracted growing attention worldwide. In particular, anti-inflammatory properties of cannabinoids led to their emergence as potential therapeutic options for autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Recent studies have also shown that cannabinoid receptors are widely expressed and have endogenous ligands in the skin, suggesting that the skin has its own endocannabinoid system. The aim of this review is to discuss the potential therapeutic effects of cannabinoids in autoimmune and inflammatory skin diseases. Following an overview of cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system, we describe the cellular and molecular mechanisms of cannabinoids in skin health and disease. We...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Purpose of Review Neuropathic pain (NP) remains a challenge to treat, with 50% of patients experiencing limited efficacy from current treatments. Medicinal cannabis, which contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and other minor cannabinoids, is garnering attention as an alternative treatment for NP. This paper reviews the clinical evidence for phytocannabinoid treatment of NP. Recent Findings Seventeen randomised controlled trials (RCT) were identified for inclusion in this review. Of these, ten studies using phytocannabinoid preparations containing THC alone had the most evidence for pain relief. Four studies investigating THC/CBD combinations showed some reductions in pain scores,...

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 In humans as in animals, males and females are dissimilar in their genetic and hormonally driven behaviour; they process information differently, perceive experience and emotions in different ways, display diverse attitudes, language and social skills, and show sex-related differences in the brain anatomy and organization. Drug addiction is a widespread relapsing illness that affects both men and women. Sex-dependent differences have been frequently observed in the biological and behavioural effects of substances of abuse, including cannabis. Beside sex differences observed in the cannabinoid-induced effects related to cannabis abuse and dependence, cannabinoids have been shown to exert sex-dependent effects also in other physiological and...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Importance of the field: In recent times, our knowledge of cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system has greatly advanced. With expanding knowledge, synthetic cannabinoids – including nabilone, dronabinol and a combination of synthetic Δ9-THC and cannabidiol – have been developed and tested for benefit in a variety of therapeutic indications. Areas covered in this review: The aim of this article is to provide a summative review of the vast amount of clinical trial data now available on these agents. What the reader will gain: To locate clinical trials for review, a literature search was performed using PubMed between the...

Abstract Since the discovery of the endocannabinoid system and due to the empirical evidence of the therapeutic effects on several illnesses both in humans and animals that follow the administration of exogenous cannabinoids (i.e., phytocannabinoids), numerous studies have been conducted. These investigations aimed to identify the expression and distribution of cannabinoid receptors in healthy and pathologic organs and tissues of different animal species and to define the interactions of phytocannabinoids with these receptors. In the last decade, pharmacokinetics, efficacy and tolerability of many Cannabis derivatives formulations, mainly containing cannabidiol, in the main species of veterinary interest, have been also investigated. This manuscript summarizes the...

Abstract Background and Purpose: Corneal injury can result in dysfunction of corneal nociceptive signaling and corneal sensitization. Activation of the endocannabinoid system has been reported to be analgesic and anti-inflammatory. The purpose of this research was to investigate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of cannabinoids with reported actions at cannabinoid 1 (CB1R) and cannabinoid 2 (CB2R) receptors and/or noncannabinoid receptors in an experimental model of corneal hyperalgesia. Methods: Corneal hyperalgesia (increased pain response) was generated using chemical cauterization of the corneal epithelium in wild-type (WT) and CB2R knockout (CB2R−/−) mice. Cauterized eyes were treated topically with the phytocannabinoids Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8THC) or cannabidiol (CBD), or the CBD...

Abstract Cannabis sativa and its extracts have been used for centuries, both medicinally and recreationally. There is accumulating evidence that exogenous cannabis and related cannabinoids improve symptoms associated with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD], such as pain, loss of appetite, and diarrhoea. In vivo, exocannabinoids have been demonstrated to improve colitis, mainly in chemical models. Exocannabinoids signal through the endocannabinoid system, an increasingly understood network of endogenous lipid ligands and their receptors, together with a number of synthetic and degradative enzymes and the resulting products. Modulating the endocannabinoid system using pharmacological receptor agonists, genetic knockout models, or inhibition of degradative enzymes have largely shown improvements in colitis in...

Abstract Background and Objectives: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common psychiatric disorder resulting from a traumatic event, is manifested through hyperarousal, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and sleep disturbances. Despite several therapeutic approaches being available, both pharmacological and psychological, recently a growing interest has developed in using cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids stems from their consideration as more efficient and better tolerated alternatives for the treatment of this condition. The present paper aims to evaluate the clinical and therapeutic potentials of medical cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids in treating PTSD patients. Methods: A systematic electronic search was performed, including all papers published up to May 2019, using the...