Recent studies shed light on how to administer CBD for effective treatment
It has already been established that cannabidiol (CBD) is effective in providing pain relief and fighting anxiety. This is a fact that has been known for centuries, but a lack of scientific studies on the subject has allowed opponents to continue to stay in the dark. Now, however, there has been an influx of research projects that provide clarity on CBD and how it impacts the body and scientists are learning what doses could be the most effective in providing pain relief.
Researchers with McGill University and the McGill University Health Centre (MIHC) in Canada conducted a study to determine at what dose CBD is most effective. What they found was more than what they anticipated. Previously, it was thought that CBD acted directly on CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the brain – similar to the way tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) acts on the receptors – but there’s much more to the story.
CBD creates a mechanism that is able to bind specific receptors that are involved in pain – vanilloid TRPV1 – and in anxiety – serotonin 5-HT1A. By administering CBD intravenously in rats at a level of 5mg per day per kilogram of weight, the 5-HT1A receptors became desensitized. After seven days, anxiety was reduced and 5-HT activity became normalized.
According to the study’s author, McGill University post-doctoral fellow Danilo De Gregorio, “We found in animal models of chronic pain that low doses of CBD administered for seven days alleviate both pain and anxiety, two symptoms often associated in neuropathic or chronic pain.”
Needless to say, the findings are only preliminary and more tests are needed. However, the researchers point out, “Our findings elucidate the mechanism of action of CBD and show that it can be used as medicine without the dangerous side effects of the THC. This research is a new advancement for an evidence-based application of cannabis in medicine.”
