Abstract: MaZiRenWan (MZRW) is the most frequently used Traditional Chinese Medicine formula to treat chronic constipation, Cannabis sativa L. is regarded as a monarch drug in MZRW. However, the targets of Cannabis sativa L. that enhance colonic motility and improve constipation symptoms remain unknown. This study was designed to investigate the laxative effect and underlying mechanism of the water extract of Cannabis sativa L. (WECSL) using a loperamide-induced constipation mouse model. We found that WECSL treatment significantly improved intestinal motility and water-electrolyte metabolism, decreased inflammatory responses, prevented gut barrier damage, and relieved anxiety and depression in constipated mice. WECSL also structurally remodeled the composition of the gut microbiota and altered...

Abstract Introduction Palliative care aims to improve quality of life through optimal symptom control and pain management. Cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) have a proven role in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. However, there is a paucity of high-quality evidence with regards to the optimal therapeutic regimen, safety, and effectiveness of CBMPs in palliative care, as existing clinical trials are limited by methodological heterogeneity. The aim of this study is to summarise the outcomes of the initial subgroup of patients from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry who were prescribed CBMPs for a primary indication of palliative care, cancer pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea and...

Abstract Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of use, attitudes toward, and experiences with cannabis and cannabis-related products among people with Parkinson's disease (PwP) living in Norway. Methods: Between February and August 2021, PwP and their caregivers were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey study on cannabis use. N= 530 PwP completed the 24-item survey collecting data on the participants’ history of cannabis use, perceived benefits and adverse effects of cannabis use, and expectations toward health care professionals. N= 108 caregivers completed a brief survey detailing their experience with cannabis use. Results: A total of 59 (11.3%)...

Abstract: Introduction: Cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) have been identified as a promising novel therapeutic for symptoms and comorbidities related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, there is a paucity of clinical evidence of their efficacy and safety. Objective: This case series aims to assess changes to health-related quality of life and the incidence of adverse events in patients treated with CBMPs for associated symptoms of ASD enrolled on the UK Medical Cannabis Registry (UKMCR). Methods: Patients treated with CBMPs for ASD-related symptoms for a minimum of 1 month were identified from the UKMCR. Primary outcomes were changes in validated patient-reported outcome measures [Generalised Anxiety...

Abstract Cannabis use disorder (CUD) occurs at high rates in schizophrenia, which negatively impacts its clinical prognosis. These patients have greater difficulty quitting cannabis which may reflect putative deficits in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a potential target for treatment development. We examined the effects of active versus sham high-frequency (20-Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on cannabis use in outpatients with schizophrenia and CUD. Secondary outcomes included cannabis craving/withdrawal, psychiatric symptoms, cognition and tobacco use. Twenty-four outpatients with schizophrenia and CUD were enrolled in a preliminary double-blind, sham-controlled randomized trial. Nineteen participants were randomized to receive active (n = 9) or sham (n = 10) rTMS (20-Hz)...

Abstract While there is substantial evidence that cannabis use is associated with differences in human brain development, most of this evidence is correlational in nature. Bayesian causal network (BCN) modeling attempts to identify probable causal relationships in correlational data using conditional probabilities to estimate directional associations between a set of interrelated variables. In this study, we employed BCN modeling in 637 adolescents from the IMAGEN study who were cannabis naïve at age 14 to provide evidence that the accelerated prefrontal cortical thinning found previously in adolescent cannabis users by Albaugh et al. [1] is a result of cannabis use causally affecting neurodevelopment. BCNs incorporated...

Abstract Background Cannabinoids including cannabidiol have recognized genotoxic activities but their significance has not been studied broadly epidemiologically across the teratological spectrum. We examined these issues including contextual space-time relationships and formal causal inferential analysis in USA. Methods State congenital anomaly (CA) rate (CAR) data was taken from the annual reports of the National Birth Defects Prevention Network 2001–2005 to 2011–2015. Substance abuse rates were from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health a nationally representative longitudinal survey of the non-institutionalized US population with 74.1% response rate. Drugs examined were cigarettes, monthly and binge alcohol, monthly cannabis and analgesic and cocaine abuse. Early...

Abstract Introduction Although cannabis is frequently used worldwide, its impact on respiratory health is characterised by controversy. Objective To evaluate the association between cannabis use and respiratory-related emergency room (ER) visits and hospitalisations. Methods A retrospective, population-based, cohort study was carried out, linking health survey and health administrative data for residents of Ontario, Canada, aged 12–65 years, between January 2009 and December 2015. Individuals self-reporting cannabis use within the past year were matched to control individuals (people who reported never using cannabis, or used cannabis only once, and more than 12 months ago) in upwards of a 1:3 ratio on 31 different variables, using propensity score matching...

Abstract Societal attitudes toward cannabis, both as a drug of abuse and as a potential therapeutic, have undergone a marked shift in the past 25 years, resulting in wide-scale changes in legalization, public policy, and marketing of cannabis and its constituents (cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol). Cannabis has abuse liability, producing positive subjective effects, and repeated use over time can result in a use disorder, which can include withdrawal symptoms (sleep disruption, irritability, anxiety, anorexia, craving), unsuccessful attempts to cut down or quit, and failure to fulfill obligations. The consequences of having a cannabis use disorder are rarely as destructive to individual lives as other...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background While six U.S. states have already officially authorized cannabinoids to substitute opioids and treat opioid use disorder, the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids remain unclear, especially when weighted against their adverse effects. Methods We conducted a systematic review of studies examining the association between opioid withdrawal and cannabis use or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) administration. We searched multiple databases from inception to July 30, 2022, and assessed study quality. Results Eleven studies were identified, with a total of 5330 participants, of whom 64 % were male. Nine observational studies examined the association between cannabis use and opioid...