The review said that cannabinoids may hold promise as a PTSD treatment, particularly for reducing nightmares and helping people sleep, but more research is needed into their potential long-term effects, such as addiction or risk of psychosis, before they should be used in routine clinical practice. The study “The effectiveness of cannabinoids in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)” was published in the Journal of Dual Diagnosis.
Can CBD relieve the symptoms of HIV?
New research is about to begin into whether cannabinoids can alleviate the inflammation that accompanies HIV infections. HIV researcher Mahesh Mohan recently joined the Texas Biomedical Research Institute and will work with its Southwest National Primate Research Center to study the impact of cannabinoids on the symptoms of HIV. “HIV infection results in chronic inflammation. We are working to identify where the changes occur and try to reverse the problem with new feasible pharmacological approaches,” Mohan said. He previously worked with rhesus macaques, which can become infected with a monkey version of HIV known as simian immunodeficiency virus, or SIV.
“There is so much suffering people undergo because of chronic inflammation created by infectious diseases, non-infectious health conditions and aging,” Mohan said. “Ancient people used marijuana leaves for medical purposes centuries ago. I’m very excited about moving this from nonhuman primates to the clinic.”
Parents ‘ignore US FDA warnings’ not to give their children CBD
Many American parents are giving their children CBD despite warnings issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to an article in Contemporary Pediatrics. Others are consulting pediatricians about the efficacy of CBD for anxiety, pain, and sleep problems, despite the lack of approval for many health claims.
The article by Andrew Schuman explores the evidence of the safety and therapeutic benefits of CBD for children and advises pediatricians on how respond to parents’ questions as CBD continues to increase in popularity. Schuman claims to find “most disconcerting” the fact that many online sellers are promoting the use of CBD-infused gummies to calm overactive and “fussy” children and CBD-infused oils are now being sold as a teething remedy for infants.
He concludes that it would be “inappropriate and irresponsible” for paediatricians to encourage the use of CBD until more studies are available, particularly regarding its long-term safety, and until it is endorsed for specific conditions by the FDA.
CBD ‘reduces depression, anxiety and stress’
Inhaling CBD has been shown to reduce depression, anxiety and stress, according to a study by Washington State University researchers.
The study “A naturalistic examination of the perceived effects of cannabis on negative affect”, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, provides an account of perceived changes in symptoms as a function of dose and concentration of both THC and CBD.
Both men and women self-reported that their symptoms of depression were reduced by about 50%, while symptoms of anxiety and stress were reduced by approximately 58%.
High CBD (over 9.5%), low THC (less than 5.5%) cannabis was associated with the largest changes in depression ratings, while high CBD (over 11%), high THC (over 26.5%) cannabis produced the largest perceived changes in stress.
No changes in the perceived efficacy of cannabis were detected across time. However, baseline symptoms of depression – but not anxiety or stress – appeared to be exacerbated across the sessions tracked.
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