Therapeutic CBD has been proven to be an effective remedy for various psychiatric conditions like anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. Furthermore, it features antianxiolytic, antipsychotic and neuroprotective properties.
One study demonstrated that CBD could significantly decrease cue-induced heroin cravings, withdrawal anxiety and resting heart rate among people suffering from substance use disorders. But more research needs to be conducted.
Anti-Inflammatory
CBD exerts anti-inflammatory effects through several mechanisms. It inhibits activation, translocation and binding of NF-kB p65/p50 and IRF3 inflammasome receptors to prevent the production of proinflammatory cytokine by macrophages; and induces gene expression for antioxidant enzymes GSH-Px, SOD and GAPDH that reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.
Reduces cell viability, proliferation and cytokine production through RASF while inhibiting monocytes’ production of pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytotoxic antibodies in vitro. Decreases the assembly of NLRP3 inflammasomes as well as TNF-induced apoptosis; increases redox balance while mitigating mitochondrial ROS production; activates TRPV1 vanilloid receptors which cause desensitization, producing paradoxical analgesic activity similar to capsaicin.
Researchers have found that CBD acts as an effective class-switching agent, changing the formation of leukotrienes to more targeted pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) during an inflammation response in mice with peritonitis models. This was attributed to CBD’s negative allosteric modulation of CB1 receptors and partial/inverted agonist actions on CB2R, TRPV1 and 5-HT1A serotonergic receptors; its blocking of low voltage activated calcium channels; uptake by cells; and inhibition of enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase.
Anxiety
CBD, one of the main nonpsychotomimetic compounds present in cannabis sativa, has demonstrated anxiolytic effects both in animal models and human subjects. Studies indicate it acts on limbic and paralimbic brain areas – such as amygdala and cingulated cortex regions – which help relieve anxiety.
Clinical research has demonstrated that CBD effectively alleviates anxiety in rodents after either single or repeated administration by directly binding to the CB1 receptor and blocking GABA’s neurotoxic properties, thus creating anxiolytic-like effects and producing antianxiety effects.
As part of a pilot study, 24 treatment-naive SAD patients received either placebo or 600 mg CBD in a double-blind randomized design one hour and half prior to taking a simulation public speaking test (SPST). Results demonstrated that CBD significantly reduced anxiety, cognitive impairment, discomfort and alert as measured by SPST scores; additionally functional magnetic resonance imaging of healthy volunteers demonstrated attenuated neural responses when exposed to fearful facial stimuli.
Pain Relief
Studies have demonstrated that CBD can significantly alleviate pain, such as nerve-related and chronic issues.[1] Researchers believe this may be related to its interactions with the endocannabinoid system; CBD interacts with its receptors that have been shown to alter pain signaling processes.
One study revealed that people living with ALS reported reduced pain and an improvement in quality of life when using cannabis, with researchers also discovering its “entourage effect” to help reduce spasticity – muscle tightness or stiffness that arises due to ALS patients.
However, more research needs to be conducted on how well CBD can reduce pain and its side effects. Furthermore, researchers have cautioned about using high-quality products free of THC that might give rise to positive drug test results or use vaping devices which heat CBD oils that might irritate lung tissues.
Sleep
Sleep is another area in which CBD has drawn increased scrutiny, with its potential to help individuals get better restful sleep. Unfortunately, we still know little about how CBD impacts the quality of our restful slumber; particularly whether or not it helps those suffering from insomnia or other conditions that disrupt it.
We have found that CBD effectively decreases REM sleep in rats while increasing non-REM rest, as well as altering frequencies and amplitudes of sleep-like waves such as ripple oscillations.
At our psychiatric clinic, CBD was found to effectively help with anxiety and sleep problems for most patients who presented as primary concerns. At monthly follow-up assessments, HAM-A and PSQI scores decreased for most of those receiving CBD treatment.
In another study, we compared the effects of CBD and vehicle (VEH) on learning and memory. On one hand, CBD decreased long ripple events following delta waves linked with deficits in complex memory; this effect was not present with VEH.
