Preclinical evidence of cannabis-induced oxidative stress: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

CED Clinical Relevance  #100High Clinical Relevance  Strong evidence or policy relevance with direct clinical implications.
🔬 Evidence Watch  |  CED Clinic
SafetyOxidative StressThcCbdPreclinical
Journal Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP
Study Type Systematic Review
Population Human participants
Why This Matters

This systematic review provides the first comprehensive analysis of cannabis-related oxidative stress, examining cellular damage markers across 51 studies. Understanding oxidative stress mechanisms helps inform clinical decision-making about cannabis safety profiles and potential protective strategies.

Clinical Summary

Researchers analyzed 9,775 records to identify 51 studies examining cannabis effects on oxidative stress markers in cell cultures and animal models. The meta-analysis of 49 studies found statistically significant but small increases in reactive oxygen species production in laboratory settings and more pronounced effects in animal studies, along with increased lipid peroxidation markers. The studies primarily used THC, CBD, or cannabis extracts across various delivery methods in over 1,200 animals, predominantly rats and mice.

Dr. Caplan’s Take

“While these preclinical findings suggest oxidative stress potential, the clinical relevance remains unclear given the laboratory conditions and animal models used. I await human studies with real-world dosing and duration to guide patient counseling about oxidative stress risks.”

Clinical Perspective
🧠 Clinicians should be aware of potential oxidative stress but recognize these are preliminary laboratory findings that may not translate directly to clinical practice. Patients using cannabis therapeutically should maintain good antioxidant nutrition and discuss any concerns about cellular health with their healthcare providers, particularly those with pre-existing oxidative stress conditions.

💬 Join the Conversation

Have a question about how this applies to your situation? Ask Dr. Caplan →

Want to discuss this topic with other patients and caregivers? Join the forum discussion →

FAQ

This study item was assembled from normalized source metadata and pipeline scoring.






{“@context”: “https://schema.org”, “@type”: “ScholarlyArticle”, “headline”: “Preclinical evidence of cannabis-induced oxidative stress: A systematic review and meta-analysis.”, “url”: “https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41765278/”, “about”: “regulatory toxicology pharmacology rtp systematic review”, “isPartOf”: “Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP”}


,