Abstract Background The rapid increase in cannabis use during pregnancy—up by 170 % between 2009 and 2016—raises pressing concerns about its effects on fetal health, particularly on the delicate monoamine system within the fetoplacental unit, which is crucial for placental function and neurodevelopment. Objective This systematic review explores the impact of prenatal cannabinoid exposure on the monoamine system within the fetoplacental unit, with a focus on its implications for fetal development through the lens of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) framework. Methods A comprehensive search across multiple databases initially retrieved 18,252 papers. After rigorous screening, only 16 animal studies and 4 human studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings were synthesized to evaluate the effects of...

Abstract There is a significant global upsurge in the number and proportion of older persons in the population. With this comes an increasing prevalence of age-related conditions which pose a major challenge to healthcare systems. The development of anti-ageing treatments may help meet this challenge by targeting the ageing process which is a common denominator to many health problems. Cannabis-like compounds (cannabinoids) are reported to improve quality of life and general well-being in human trials, and there is increasing preclinical research highlighting that they have anti-ageing activity. Moreover, preclinical evidence suggests that endogenous cannabinoids regulate ageing processes. Here, we review the anti-ageing effects of...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract The use of marijuana and cannabinoids is widespread throughout the United States, and these drugs can cause both acute and chronic medical disorders. The ingestion of edible products with uncertain content can cause accidental toxicity. The patient described in this case report ingested a large number of edible cannabinoid gummies. He developed a sequence of toxic states that included lethargy, agitation, vomiting, tachycardia, hypertension, acute respiratory failure, and elevated lactic acid levels. These clinical syndromes resolved over the next 24 hours with supportive intensive care unit management. The medical literature indicates that cannabis toxicity can cause acute lactic acidosis in...

Please use this link to access this publication. ABSTRACT As research on Cannabis sativa L. and its derivatives expands, an increasing number of novel phytocannabinoids are being identified. Many of these compounds exhibit molecular chirality due to the presence of one or more stereogenic centers in their structures. Given the pharmacological and toxicological relevance of chiral molecules, regulatory authorities are expected to demand more stringent analytical characterization of the enantiomeric composition of phytocannabinoids in C. sativa L. extracts. The growing availability and enhanced performance of advanced analytical technologies, particularly chiral chromatographic systems, have renewed interest in the stereochemical profiling of these natural products. Chiral separation techniques have become...

ABSTRACT Introduction Individuals living with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) are subject to numerous chronic complications, including disabling chronic pain, often dependent on opioids and with important repercussions on the quality of life. The use of Medicinal Cannabis in this scenario may be a promising strategy for mitigating this impact. Areas covered This work compiles current knowledge regarding the endocannabinoid system in humans and the role of this system in various organic functions. Articles were retrieved through a comprehensive search of the PubMed NCBI database, covering relevant studies up to 2024. These data bring important speculations on the potential role of the use of medicinal...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Comparative studies of phytocannabinoids offer valuable insights into the therapeutic potential of cannabis. While Cannabis sativa can produce over 100 distinct phytocannabinoids, most are present only in trace amounts. This review examines the structural, biochemical, and pharmacological characteristics of five representative phytocannabinoids: cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), and cannabinol (CBN). We describe their biosynthetic pathways, abiotic transformations, and precursor roles in generating molecular diversity. Chemovar profiles are discussed based on seed bank data and chromatographic analyses of Brazilian-grown cultivars. Our findings suggest that high-CBD chemovars have recently emerged, possibly due to genetic drift from...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Cannabis is the most widely consumed illicit drug worldwide and its rapid expansion into medical and recreational markets has highlighted the need for effective analytical techniques. The analysis of major cannabinoids and their metabolites in different matrices has recently gained considerable attention in fields such as forensics, healthcare, environmental monitoring, and the cannabis food industry. However, the complexity of these matrices, ranging from biological samples to cannabis-infused products, raises significant challenges that require selective and effective extraction methods prior to chromatographic analysis. This review critically evaluates studies published over the past decade (2014-2024) and compares...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract This review focuses on antimicrobial packaging for food safety, critically examining the activity and efficacy of cannabinoids against commonly found microorganisms and exploring their antimicrobial mechanisms. Specifically, the review considers cannabinoids derived from industrial hemp plants, which are characterized by low levels of psychoactive components. It also outlines viable strategies to control the sustained release of cannabinoids from the packaging, enabling extended storage and enhanced safety of food products. Research demonstrates that cannabinoids are effective against both foodborne bacteria and fungi, with their antimicrobial action primarily attributed to microbial membrane instability. Cannabinoids can be utilized...

Abstract Cannabidiol (CBD), a bicyclic non-psychoactive cannabinoid biosynthesized by Cannabis spp. of plants, has attracted significant interest in the past decade due to its therapeutic properties. In 2018, the US FDA approved Epidiolex®, a CBD-based drug for the treatment of two rare epileptic seizure disorders. CBD possesses two chiral centers at C3 and C4 on its terpenoid moiety and exhibits cis–trans stereoisomerism along the C3–C4 bond axis. (−)-trans-(3R,4R)-CBD, the natural CBD, is biosynthesized by the cannabis plant, while the unnatural (+)-trans-(3S,4S)-CBD is obtained via chemical synthesis. Both trans isomers exhibit broad in vitro and in vivo biological activities; typically, the unnatural stereoisomer (+)-trans-CBD and its derivatives exhibited more potent activities in comparison to the corresponding (−)-trans isomers. On the other hand, cis-CBD isomers...

Abstract Increased extracellular glutamate concentrations in the brain can cause neuronal injury. Cannabinoid use has been demonstrated to reduce extracellular glutamate levels in the brain in many animal models. However, there are no systematic reviews published evaluating the effect of cannabis on glutamate levels in the human brain. This review aimed to review studies that investigated the effect of cannabinoids on glutamate levels in the living human brain using neuroimaging methods and to provide evidence gathered from biomedical databases such as MEDLINE and EMBASE. Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and ten observational studies met the eligibility criteria for this review. The articles included in...