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Cannabidiol in medical marijuana: Research vistas and potential opportunities.

Carola Rong, Yena Lee, Nicole E Carmona, Danielle S. Cha, Renee-Marie Ragguett, Joshua D. Rosenblat, Rodrigo B. Mansur, Roger Ho, Roger S McIntyre

Pharmacological Research July 2017 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2017.05.005 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Review Peer reviewed
Intervention Cannabidiol (CBD)
Topics Anxiety Cannabis CBD
Keywords Cognition Medical marijuana Mood Sleep
Key findings Argues that CBD's brain and cognitive effects are distinct from and often opposite to those of Δ9-THC, and that CBD lacks euphoriant properties while showing antipsychotic, anxiolytic, anti-seizure, and anti-inflammatory properties. Contends that disparate cannabis findings reflect differing Δ9-THC-to-CBD ratios, and calls for interventional studies with purified CBD using the RDoC framework.

Abstract

The high and increasing prevalence of medical marijuana consumption in the general population invites the need for quality evidence regarding its safety and efficacy. Herein, we synthesize extant literature pertaining to the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) and its brain effects. The principle phytocannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and CBD are the major pharmacologically active cannabinoids. The effect of CBD on brain systems as well as on phenomenological measures (e.g. cognitive function) are distinct and in many cases opposite to that of Δ9-THC. Cannabidiol is without euphoriant properties, and exerts antipsychotic, anxiolytic, anti-seizure, as well as anti-inflammatory properties. It is essential to parcellate phytocannabinoids into their constituent moieties as the most abundant cannabinoid have differential effects on physiologic systems in psychopathology measures. Disparate findings and reports related to effects of cannabis consumption reflect differential relative concentration of Δ9-THC and CBD. Existing literature, notwithstanding its deficiencies, provides empirical support for the hypothesis that CBD may exert beneficial effects on brain effector systems/substrates subserving domain-based phenomenology. Interventional studies with purified CBD are warranted with a call to target-engagement proof-of-principle studies using the research domain criteria (RDoC) framework.

Comparable studies

Other narrative reviews on cannabis for anxiety, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, as an antipsychotic drug 2006 Review
Mitigation of post‐traumatic stress symptoms by Cannabis resin: A review of the clinical and neurobiological evidence 19-year-old male patient with severe PTSD 2012 Review
Partydrogen im Überblick Party drug users 2026 Review
The Use of Illicit Drugs in Therapy: an Introduction 2023 Review
Cannabis and psychosis: is there a role for Cannabidiol in the treatment of psychosis in young cannabis users? 2020 Literature review

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