Cannabidiol and other non-psychotropic cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa as therapeutics for microglial-mediated neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.
Fowler DK, Savage TM, Mackie DI
Medicinal Plants
Cannabis is increasingly grown as a specialty crop, and knowing which of its dozens of natural compounds target brain inflammation could reshape how breeders select and cultivate specific strains for medical use.
Cannabis plants produce many compounds besides the one that gets you high, and scientists are finding that several of these can help quiet overactive immune cells in the brain. These overactive cells play a role in diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. This review maps out what we know—and what we're still missing—about how each of these plant compounds works and whether they could become medicines.
Key Findings
At least four non-intoxicating cannabis compounds—cannabidiol, cannabigerol, cannabichromene, and their variants—show activity against brain inflammation through multiple molecular pathways.
Pre-clinical and clinical evidence supports these compounds as candidates for four major neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and Huntington's disease.
Significant research gaps remain for all cannabinoids except CBD, and the review calls for closer collaboration between cannabis breeders and medical researchers to bridge that divide.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers reviewed how non-intoxicating compounds from cannabis plants—like CBD and related molecules—can calm brain inflammation linked to diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The evidence is promising but incomplete, especially for lesser-studied cannabinoids beyond CBD.
Abstract Preview
Non-psychotropic phytocannabinoids produced by Cannabis sativa, including cannabidiol, cannabigerol, cannabichromene and their varin and acidic analogs, are emerging as promising modulators of neur...
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Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species being recognized: Cannabis sativa, C. indica, and C. ruderalis. Al...