A meta-analysis published in 2020 demonstrates that cannabidiol (CBD) may be beneficial for a number of diseases due to its effect on oxidative stress. More specifically, G-protein coupled receptors, along with their endogenous lipid ligands, have been linked to the therapeutic modulation of oxidative stress in patients suffering from various diseases that are associated with the aforementioned oxidative stress.
The spectrum of diseases where oxidative stress plays a role is broad. Patients suffering from diabetes, cardiomyopathy (often associated with diabetes), cardiovascular diseases (e.g. stroke, arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, hypertension), cancer, arthritis, anxiety, psychosis, epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis), and various skin diseases have been shown to benefit from the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects that are shown to correlate with CBD usage. The review also presents data which suggests that CBD may play a role in preventing such diseases due to the correlative benefits discussed.
The beneficial modulation of oxidative stress has been attributed to the regulation of the state of redox both directly and indirectly. Directly, CBD has been shown to positively impact the components of the redox system. Indirectly, CBD has been shown to simultaneously interact with molecular components that are closely associated with the redox system, but that are not situated within it. In sum, CBD is currently the front-runner for the most beneficial phytocannabinoid compound in terms of treating diseases that entail oxidative stress.