This item covers developments relevant to cannabis medicine and clinical practice. Clinicians monitoring evidence in this area should review the source material.

Previous studies have demonstrated that the endocannabinoid system plays a significant role in the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD), and CB1 receptor antagonists/inverse agonists show promise as a novel AUD pharmacotherapy. However, these compounds failed in clinical trials due to the severe psychiatric side effects. Non-psychoactive phytocannabinoids may have a better safety profile and could be used as an alternative approach to treat AUD. The aim of this study was to test the potential of three phytocannabinoids in reducing alcohol consumption: CB1 receptor partial agonist cannabinol (CBN), neutral antagonist tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) and negative allosteric modulator cannabidiol (CBD). Male Wistar rats were subjected to a long-term voluntary alcohol drinking procedure that lasted for several months. Thereafter, rats were given three once daily administrations of CBN, THCV, or CBD. Their side-effect profile was examined by recording changes in water consumption, body we

“This is a development worth tracking. The clinical implications will become clearer as more evidence accumulates.”

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