This page is an ongoing hobby of mine as I try and find good research on the efficacy of CBD. Here are a couple of studies that caught my attention on subjects we may not have considered as targets for CBD. I plan to add to this page as time permits. 

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CBD and COVID-19 

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We are all sick and tired of anything related to or having to with COVID-19 and the pandemic. We are trying to forget. And the good news is that as a healthcare provider I see very few COVID patients nowadays. However, a doctor from the UK that I follow reviewed a study recently that I thought was rather interesting. Because it seems to prove the efficacy of CBD against COVID-19 of all things, I thought I would post it here for interest’s sake.   

 

Link to Dr. John Campbell’s YouTube channel and his review of the study   

 

Link to study from the National Institute of Health   

 

The following is the abstract taken from Science.Org: 

“The spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic underscores the need for new treatments. Here, we report that cannabidiol (CBD) inhibits infection of SARS-CoV-2 in cells and mice. CBD and its metabolite 7-OH-CBD, but not THC or other congeneric cannabinoids tested, potently block SARS-CoV-2 replication in lung epithelial cells. CBD acts after viral entry, inhibiting viral gene expression and reversing many effects of SARS-CoV-2 on host gene transcription. CBD inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in part by up-regulating the host IRE1α ribonuclease endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response and interferon signaling pathways. In matched groups of human patients from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative, CBD (100 mg/ml oral solution per medical records) had a significant negative association with positive SARS-CoV-2 tests. This study highlights CBD as a potential preventative agent for early-stage SARS-CoV-2 infection and merits future clinical trials. We caution against current use of non-medical formulations as a preventative or treatment therapy.” 

 

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CBD and the Heart 

I have condensed a paper published on the National Institute of Health’s database. It is long and filled with complex industry jargon but holds some pertinent and valuable information regarding cannabidiol (CBD). The article’s focus is on how CBD can affect the cardiovascular system, but it holds many facts and details on CBD in general. 

 

Excerpts from article: 

“Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating and generally well-tolerated constituent of cannabis which exhibits potential beneficial properties in a wide range of diseases, including cardiovascular disorders. Due to its complex mechanism of action, CBD may affect the cardiovascular system in different ways… Many positive effects of CBD have been observed in experimental models of heart diseases (myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis), stroke, neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, sepsis-related encephalitis, cardiovascular complications of diabetes, and ischemia/reperfusion injures of liver and kidneys. In these pathological conditions CBD decreased organ damage and dysfunction, oxidative and nitrative stress, inflammatory processes and apoptosis, among others.” 

 

Some basics on CBD from the article: “Cannabis sativa has been used since ancient times for agricultural, ceremonial and medicinal purposes. In traditional medicine, the plant has been used as an analgesic, anticonvulsant, anti-asthmatic, antimalarial or anti-rheumatic agent. Cannabis contains over 700 different chemicals, among which a group of compounds called cannabinoids stands out. Cannabinoids found in cannabis are called phytocannabinoids. Beyond the plant-derived cannabinoids, there are also cannabinoids endogenously produced in humans or animals (so-called endocannabinoids) and synthetic cannabinoids…” 

 

“Basic and/or clinical studies have shown that cannabidiol has multidirectional properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiarthritic, anticonvulsant, neuroprotective, procognitive, anti-anxiety, antipsychotic and anti-proliferative, among others. Thus, CBD possesses wide therapeutic potential, which includes e.g., epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases (multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases), neuropsychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, autistic spectrum disorders), gastrointestinal disorders (nausea and vomiting, inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome), rheumatic diseases, graft versus host disease and cancer (reviewed elsewhere). However, most of these indications require further investigation to confirm clinical effectiveness.” 

 

“Cannabidiol is known to possess antioxidant (with some exceptions, see above) and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, it might have therapeutic potential in the treatment of different cardiovascular diseases, as the oxidative stress and inflammation are essential parts of their pathogenesis.” 

 

“Cannabidiol may act as an anti-anxiety agent under stress conditions both in animal models and in humans… To sum up, CBD, aside from its potential anxiolytic action, may exhibit additionally beneficial hemodynamic effects in stressful situations. However, these protective effects may be, at least in part, the result of CBD anti-anxiolytic properties. It is worth noting that stress is probably the state in which the influence of CBD on the hemodynamic parameters is most pronounced.” 

 

“Diabetes mellitus causes many heart and blood vessel complications such as atherosclerosis, retinopathy or cardiomyopathy, which are associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction, increased inflammation and oxidative stress. CBD does not influence blood glucose in diabetic animals and humans. In addition, in patients with type 2 diabetes CBD did not affect glycaemic control, insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, body mass and hemodynamic parameters. However, due to its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and vasculo-, cardio- and neuroprotective properties CBD can mitigate cardiovascular complications of diabetes.” 

 

Disclaimers: Anecdotally speaking, CBD seems to be useful and effective in mitigating symptoms throughout body systems and this article holds out much hope for the use of CBD in a wide range of disease states. However, much more study is needed to categorically prove most claims.