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 C Ho; Roger S McIntyre

doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2017.05.005

Cannabidiol in medical marijuana: Research vistas and potential opportunities

Pharmacol Res. 2017 Jul:121:213-218. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2017.05.005. Epub 2017 May 10.

Authors

Carola Rong¹, Yena Lee², Nicole E Carmona³, Danielle S Cha³, Renee-Marie Ragguett³, Joshua D Rosenblat³, Rodrigo B Mansur³, Roger C Ho⁴, Roger S McIntyre⁵

Affiliations

¹ Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit (MDPU), University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; American University of Integrative Sciences School of Medicine, Sint Maarten, The Netherlands.
² Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit (MDPU), University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
³ Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit (MDPU), University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁴ Department of Psychological Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
⁵ Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit (MDPU), University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Electronic address: Roger.McIntyre@uhn.ca.

PMID: 28501518
DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2017.05.005

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.

Keywords: 1 Cannabidiol (PubChem CID: 644019); Anxiety; Cannabidiol; Cannabis; Cognition; Delta 8-tetrahydrocannabinol (PubChem CID: 2977); Medical marijuana; Mood; Sleep.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Affect / drug effects
Anxiety / drug therapy*
Brain / drug effects
Cannabidiol / pharmacology
Cannabidiol / therapeutic use*
Cognition / drug effects
Depression / drug therapy*
Dronabinol / pharmacology
Dronabinol / therapeutic use
Humans
Medical Marijuana / pharmacology
Medical Marijuana / therapeutic use*
Sleep / drug effects
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / drug therapy*

Substances

Medical Marijuana
Cannabidiol
Dronabinol