Cannabinoids: research and patient questions (Page 2)

This study looked at the list of research projects that have been registered on a public website that tracks medical studies. It counted the cannabis-based treatments being tested, the health problems they aim to address, and how big and how long the studies tend to be.

This review gathered brain scan studies in adults that gave cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating part of the cannabis plant, and compared it with a dummy pill while people were stressed or anxious. The authors combined the results from twelve small studies.

Researchers used large collections of genetic data from people with schizophrenia, a serious mental illness, and from people in several populations, and compared them with genetic data about the medicines people take. They then used computer methods to look for shared genetic patterns and possible drug targets. The study used existing records and computer analysis and did not treat or follow any patients.

Researchers planned a review of published studies on young children who look calm before surgery but show signs of stress inside the body. The review will look at how well a behaviour-based anxiety score matches heart and body measures of stress, and will record medicines children already take at home.

This review pooled results from 98 studies that looked at whether cannabis-based medicines help people with cancer manage symptoms such as pain, worry, poor appetite, sickness and sleep problems. The studies involved many thousands of adults and some children, and tested many different products, doses and ways of taking them.

Older adults demonstrate diminished baseline levels of specific endocannabinoids and NAEs (AEA, DEA, LEA), reflecting age-related endocannabinoid system decline. However, acute cannabis administration effectively elevates circulating NAEs across all age groups, with older adults exhibiting even greater relative increases in AEA and DEA, highlighting potential therapeutic mechanisms for symptom management in aging populations.

While preclinical and early human studies suggest that oral and topical CBD may offer safe, adjunctive pain relief with minimal side effects, current clinical evidence remains inconclusive due to small sample sizes. Clinicians should counsel patients on the current paucity of robust data, potential significant costs, and the lack of product regulation when considering over-the-counter cannabinoid therapies.

Cannabigerol (CBG) may be a promising option for reducing anxiety and stress in healthy adults without causing impairment or significant side effects.

While current systemic and oral cannabinoid formulations lack robust evidence for managing acute orofacial and post-operative dental pain, topical transdermal CBD demonstrates potential for localized myofascial temporomandibular disorder pain. Integrative clinicians should prioritize conventional first-line agents like NSAIDs for acute dental pain while awaiting higher-quality trials on localized topical cannabinoid therapies.

Administering 20 mg of isolated cannabinol (CBN) nightly can effectively reduce nighttime awakenings and overall sleep disturbance in patients with subjective sleep difficulties without causing daytime fatigue or severe adverse events. Interestingly, combining CBD with CBN did not enhance efficacy and may potentially attenuate its sleep-promoting benefits, suggesting clinicians should consider isolated CBN rather than complex CBD/CBN ratios for sleep support.