5 Outstanding Therapeutic Effects of CBD
- CBD acts against pain, cancer, epileptic seizures, anxiety, or psychosis
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is gaining popularity every day, and it's no wonder - CBD is non-psychoactive, positively affects various body receptor systems, and can be legally purchased in many parts of the world, which is not the case for fully cannabinoid preparations (containing THC).
Today, we'll look at 5 interesting reasons why CBD is such an admirable medicine.
1. CBD against Epileptic Seizures
In 2017, patients with epilepsy in the US will likely start picking up a brand new medication, Epidiolex, based on high-quality CBD extract. GW Pharmaceuticals published positive clinical trial results last year, confirming Epidiolex's effectiveness on Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) - a difficult-to-treat form of epilepsy occurring between the second and sixth year of life. (More in the article "Epilepsy 2")
GW Pharmaceuticals' study examined a total of 225 participants divided into three groups. One group was given a dose of 20mg/kg daily, another 10mg/kg, and the third a placebo.
The final study result was a surprisingly high percentage of seizure reduction. In 42% of study participants, the number of seizures drastically decreased in one month after adding CBD to their existing treatment.
2. CBD against Cancer
There is still an acute need for high-quality studies examining CBD's effect on cancer, however, in 2013, a group of Italian researchers decided to take all available preclinical research data and evaluate CBD's effectiveness against cancer.
In their final review, scientists describe CBD's antiproliferative effects on tumor cells (antiproliferative = growth-stopping). The final research review describes CBD as "a cannabinoid with antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic effects that ultimately suppress the migration, adhesion, and aggressiveness of cancer cells."
CBD showed its immunomodulatory and anti-tumor effects in both animal tests and cell line tests. This makes it a very promising candidate as an effective, complementary cancer treatment. However, to be 100% certain of its effectiveness, we must wait for the currently prepared clinical studies.
3. CBD against Anxiety
Do you have problems with social anxiety or nervousness? In 2011, a study was conducted confirming CBD's effectiveness as a tool against anxiety in the most challenging situation for people with social anxiety - during a public speech.
In this study, subjects were given a CBD dose before the public speech, with blood pressure and brain blood flow monitored throughout. Individuals given CBD spoke more fluently, had lower anxiety symptoms, cognitive impairment, and reduced overall discomfort. It should be noted that these results were achieved after just one CBD dose.
4. CBD Acts as an Analgesic
It's no coincidence that many patients suffering from chronic pain turn to CBD for relief. This cannabinoid is a well-known analgesic, capable of suppressing a wide range of pain.
These include pain associated with cancer symptoms, neuropathic pain, or inflammation-based pain, such as rheumatoid arthritis (More in the article "Arthritis")
As early as 1988, a study was published confirming CBD's effectiveness against pain, which is four times more effective for inflammatory pain than the well-known aspirin. For example, in Canada, a prescription medication based on cannabidiol is already available for patients suffering from multiple sclerosis-related pain (More in the article "Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis with Natural Cannabis").
Scientists currently estimate that CBD can suppress pain through vanilloid receptors, which are responsible for pain perception, inflammation control, and body temperature.
5. CBD Acts against Psychosis
In early studies by the aforementioned GW Pharmaceuticals, scientists discovered that CBD therapy significantly reduces symptoms associated with treatment-resistant mental illness, schizophrenia. (More in the article "Does Cannabis Cause Schizophrenia?")
The study examined 88 individuals who were given CBD as a supplement to their existing treatment or a placebo. CBD improved schizophrenia symptoms, measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), by 20%.
If this widely effective cannabinoid interests you, we recommend checking out our selection of CBD extracts or the rich selection of CBD strains available in our online shop.
Also, remember to pay attention to proper dosage, which you can study in our previous article "CBD Dosage".
Translation: Filip Maral
Author: Delilah Butterfield
Source: herb.co
Images: worldweedweb phytopluscbd.com