Does CBD Work? What Science Says About Cannabis?

It’s pretty much common practice for the American media to sensationalize and aggrandize basically anything that becomes of interest to the American population. It’s no different with CBD, which has become something like nature’s limitless drug, according to Americans. A lot gets lost in translation when the media exerts its influence over a topic, and articles are popping up all over the internet that sensationalizes CBD’s ability to cure cancer or instead, demonize it for being a complete “scam”.

Well, CBD is neither of these things; neither a wonder drug to cure all diseases, nor a marketing ploy to get Americans to empty their wallets. CBD is a real, viable cannabis derivative that is being seriously scrutinized for its application in a whole variety of different diseases. When used correctly and in the right context, it has the potential to target an array of symptoms that commonly afflict the American public.

The unfortunate reality with American economics is that as soon as investors see a financial opportunity, they jump on it, even if that thing is about the wellbeing of the country and its residents. Now, basically, everybody is a CBD product manufacturer trying to get a slice of the proverbial cannabis pie. This kind of attitude towards cannabis and its derivatives (CBD, THC, CBG, CBN, terpenes, and others) somewhat defames and devalues what these cannabinoids are all about. In any case, CBD is worth a proper mention and proper analysis rather than the hype that the media has been playing out recently.

What is CBD and What Does it Do?

CBD is a phytocannabinoid produced naturally by the cannabis plant. Unlike its cousin, THC, CBD is non-psychoactive and therefore doesn’t contribute to the euphoric (or for some, not so much) effects of cannabis. It is most commonly extracted from the hemp plant as hemp is naturally high in CBD levels, but from time to time, it is also extracted from marijuana.

In the context of medicine, CBD most often used as an isolated compound. Most CBD products are the result of some form of extraction technique. Essentially, these forms of extraction have led us to purer forms of CBD and, effectively, a more viable and acceptable form of medicine. In fact, the discovery and application of CBD in medicine has validated cannabis as a medicinal plant for the first time in over 100 years.

CBD and the Endocannabinoid System

The endocannabinoid system is something that permeates the bodies of every mammal on earth, including the human body. It a non-localized physiological system made up of endogenous cannabinoids (yes, we have our very own naturally produced cannabinoids) and cannabinoid receptors. It is, in its simplest form, a signaling system that modulates energy, metabolism, the endocrine system, mood, immune response, and the central nervous system.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the endocannabinoid system is that it is a signaling system that works in retrograde. This is unlike usual neurotransmitters, for example, which pass messages from the presynaptic neuron, through the synapse and over to the postsynaptic neuron. The endocannabinoid system affects the postsynaptic neuron, sending messages through the synapse to the presynaptic neuron. It acts as something like a dimmer switch, turning off electrical impulses or neuronal transmissions that have gone unregulated.

This is essentially why CBD is used as an anti-inflammatory, anti-epileptic, anti-nausea, anti-cancer and anti-anxiety drug. All of these symptoms are the product of neuronal excitement or overactivation of the immune system. CBD targets the system responsible for modulating these kinds of overexcitation.

CBD does not strongly interact with cannabinoid receptors, unlike THC. Its behavior within the endocannabinoid system is more peripheral, having more subtle effects. For example, CBD inhibits the behavior of a certain enzyme (FAAH) which is responsible for breaking down our own endogenous cannabinoid, anandamide. Elevated anandamide levels are connected with better mood, better sleep, and better appetite, and this is one hypothesized mechanism of action for the antidepressant effects of CBD.

CBD and Modern Science

 
What we are currently witnessing is an unprecedented amount of scientific research into virtually all cannabinoids, including CBD. In fact, CBD, along with THC, is the most studied and most well understood of the hundreds of compounds present in the cannabis plant. It would literally take forever to go through all of the scientific research about what this cannabinoid can and cannot treat, so we will exemplify a few.

CBD’s role in certain cases of epilepsy is perhaps the most pertinent of all cannabinoid research. It has been so thoroughly researched, in fact, that some physicians and medical professionals call it settled; there’s hard evidence at last.

There was the case of Charlotte and the strain, Charlotte’s Web, which was cultivated specifically for epilepsy treatment. And it worked. Charlotte subsequently experienced a drastic improvement in the number of seizures. Then there is the GW Pharmaceuticals study which explored the effect of Epidiolex, a pharmaceutical cannabinoid product, on those with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. It is a rare and extremely severe form of childhood onset epilepsy. The results were overwhelmingly positive in the CBD group compared to the control group.

The next most important therapeutic aspect of CBD to investigate is its analgesic qualities. More and more Americans are switching to CBD as an alternative to opioids for the management of chronic pain. It has shown a lot of promise in the treatment of neuropathic pain, cancer pain and inflammatory pain. Researchers are still trying to understand the mechanism of action by which it exhibits analgesic properties, but there may be a number of things at play including immune response and desensitization of nociceptors.

Finally, there are countless studies which point towards CBD’s efficacy as an anti-inflammatory, antidepressant and anti-anxiety agent. It is even hypothesized that at the root of many treatment-resistant conditions, there is a clinical endocannabinoid deficiency that can be treated with both CBD and THC.

We Still Need More Research

So some of the media sensationalism around CBD is grounded but awfully presented. It is not a wonder drug any more than Aspirin is a wonder drug; it has a medical application that is targeted and effective if it is used in the right context. And still, science is still trying to understand exactly how cannabinoids work to have such a diverse range of effects.

Needless to say, we have spent the last 100 years prohibiting research on cannabis and we are now trying to catch up. We do need more research to better understand the best ways to use CBD and who benefits the most from this cannabis-derived compounds.

This is a guest blog entry.