Journal of cannabis research最新文献

Background: Cannabidiol (CBD) exhibits therapeutic potential due to its analgesic, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, and anticonvulsant effects. However, its oral bioavailability is limited by poor water solubility and extensive first-pass metabolism. Formulation strategies such as oil-based emulsions and oil-free particles may overcome these limitations by enhancing solubilization and promoting lymphatic absorption. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of oil droplet and particle size, and surfactant concentration on CBD bioavailability.

Methods: CBD emulsions were produced using membrane emulsification, high-pressure homogenization, while particles were produced via solvent emulsification-evaporation method. Physicochemical properties were assessed using microscopy and light-scattering techniques. In a randomized, cross-over study, male Wistar rats (n = 75) received single oral doses of ten test formulations, while a CBD solution in sunflower oil served as the reference. Serum concentrations were determined using validated UHPLC-MS/MS. Pharmacokinetic parameters (AUC_last, C_max, T_max) were estimated by non-compartmental analysis and statistically compared using ANOVA.

Results: All tested formulations enhanced CBD absorption relative to the reference, CBD in sunflower oil. Among emulsions, droplet size significantly influenced bioavailability: the 16 μm formulation yielded the highest exposure, with AUC_last and C_max values reaching 291% and 455% of the reference, respectively. Both sunflower and sesame oil emulsions enhanced bioavailability against the oil solution, though sunflower oil showed a slight advantage. Oil-free nanoparticles and microparticles also improved absorption due to their amorphous character, with size exerting minimal effect. Higher concentrations of Tween 20 accelerated absorption but reduced overall exposure, while an excess of lecithin decreased bioavailability.

Conclusions: CBD bioavailability can be substantially enhanced by formulation design. Medium-sized emulsions (≈ 16 μm) provided the most pronounced improvement, while oil-free particles offered additional but less size-dependent benefits. Excessive surfactant (Tween 20) or lecithin content negatively impacted systemic exposure, underscoring the need for balanced formulation strategies. These findings contribute to the understanding of oral delivery of lipophilic compounds and support the rational development of optimized CBD formulations for therapeutic applications.

Recently, there has been a renewed and rapidly growing interest globally in the cultivation of the non-psychoactive variety of Cannabis more commonly referred to as hemp. However, there remains a scarcity of available scientific information on the water use of hemp to optimally guide its large-scale production. To address this knowledge gap, eligible peer-reviewed publications acquired from the Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar abstract and citation databases, were analysed using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer to gain further insights on the water use of this crop. A key finding emanating from this scoping review and bibliometric analysis was that the water use of hemp ranged from approximately 220-700 mm throughout the growing season, with daily water use generally ranging between ~ 4.00 mm d^- 1 to ~ 5.00 mm d^- 1. Variations in water use were primarily due to factors such as climatic regime, meteorological conditions, irrigation and agricultural management practices. Furthermore, several studies demonstrated that hemp's deep rooting system and its unique ability to regulate stomatal conductance and photosynthesis enable it to withstand water stress, increasing its resilience to drought. While these findings provide useful insights into the water use of hemp, there exists a need for further research across a broader range of agro-ecological zones, agricultural management practices and genotypes to gain a more comprehensive and objective understanding of the water use requirements associated with hemp cultivation. This may then facilitate legislation, regulatory frameworks and agricultural management practices to be developed and adapted accordingly to not only optimize hemp production but also to safeguard present and future water resources security.

Mainlining is a high-stress training (HST) technique utilized in Cannabis sativa cultivation to restructure plant architecture, enhance canopy uniformity, and increase inflorescence yield. Despite its widespread application, scientific literature detailing the possible molecular, physiological, and agronomic mechanisms underlying this method remains limited. This review consolidates current knowledge on mainlining, focusing on its origins and its interaction with apical dominance, shoot apical meristem (SAM) regulation, and vascular differentiation. The technique involves strategic decapitation to disrupt apical dominance, initiating hormonal and metabolic shifts-particularly in auxin and sugar signalling-that stimulate axillary bud outgrowth and promote symmetrical cola development. Mainlining integrates both low- and high-stress training methods, including topping, lollipopping, and tie-downs, to optimize light distribution, canopy structure, and resource allocation. Further emphasis is placed on the role of vascular remodeling and secondary cell wall development in plant recovery and structural reinforcement following stress. The review also identifies critical research gaps, such as the absence of standardized protocols across Cannabis subspecies, and outlines future directions involving omics technologies, AI-assisted cultivation, and precision breeding. This synthesis provides a foundational reference for aligning empirical cultivation practices with plant developmental biology, contributing to the advancement of evidence-based Cannabis horticulture.

Background: Chronic stress is an important factor for the development of mental health impairments, such as depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Chronic social defeat (CSD) stress is an ethologically valid model of chronic stress in rodents, combining elements of psychological and physical stress. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system plays important roles in maintaining the homeostasis of biological systems through the tuning of neuronal excitability, thereby mediating a protective role after prolonged stress exposure.

Methods: In the present study, we investigated genetically modified adult male mice where the eCB signal via anandamide (AEA) was reduced (by deletion of the AEA synthesizing enzyme NAPE-PLD) or enhanced (by deletion of the AEA degradation enzyme FAAH), as well as mice lacking the cannabinoid CB1 receptor. These genetic manipulations were induced in glutamatergic neurons of the dorsal telencephalon. After the application of CSD stress, the phenotypes of these mutant mice were investigated in a battery of behavioral tests assessing sociability, anxiety, memory, shelter-seeking behavior, and despair.

Results: We could confirm a robust anxiogenic effect of CSD in the EPM test. Interestingly, we have not observed a stress effect on the sociability of any of the mouse lines as identified in the SI test. Under non-stress conditions, we observed an anxiogenic phenotype in Glu-CB1-KO and Nex-NAPE-PLD KO, and hyperlocomotion in Nex-FAAH KO mice. Additionally, we could confirm a drastic reduction of FAAH protein levels in cortical and subcortical regions of Nex-FAAH line, and a moderate reduction of NAPE-PLD protein in cortical regions of Nex-NAPE-PLD KO mice.

Conclusions: In conclusion, genetic manipulation of the endocannabinoid system in cortical glutamatergic neurons did not result in persistent effects of prolonged stress exposure. Detected differences between the genotypes in the non-stressed groups points toward baseline differences that could mask or over-power the effect of stress.

Introduction: The use of Cannabis sativa has evolved from textile applications in ancient times to a growing interest in its therapeutic and nutraceutical properties. Its regulation varies worldwide, with restrictions on ∆⁹-THC concentrations depending on the country. Cultivation factors, such as temperature, humidity and photoperiod, affect the concentration of their bioactive metabolites, among which phytocannabinoids have demonstrated impact on the biological regulation of the human organism. Their application in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries has prompted research into the optimization of their production and extraction.

Objective: The purpose of this systematic review is to identify methodologies for the extraction, analysis and application of cannabinoids in various industries, focusing on agro-industrial transformation to increase their added value and optimize their therapeutic use.

Methodology: A systematic search was performed in the Scopus database on November 14, 2024, identifying keywords and their synonyms for each research question, using Boolean operators. Studies published between 2015 and 2025 related to cannabinoid extraction, identification and application methodologies were included, excluding non-scientific papers. The PRISMA methodology was applied to filter and select articles.

Results: The studies analyzed show that extraction and metabolomic analysis methodologies have gained relevance in recent years, especially for obtaining bioproducts for therapeutic purposes. It was identified that cannabinoids, mainly THC and CBD, have potential in the treatment of inflammatory, neurological and chronic pain diseases. In addition, the application of emerging technologies for the micro and nanoencapsulation of cannabinoids, optimizing their bioavailability, was evidenced. However, there are still gaps in the literature on the correlation between extraction operating conditions and the efficiency of the final product, which hinders its industrial scalability.

Conclusions: The growing interest in Cannabis sativa research has led to the exploration of various techniques for the extraction and analysis of its metabolites. However, despite advances in laboratory methodologies, the industrial application of these processes remains a challenge. The lack of studies correlating operational variables with extraction efficiency limits the standardization of bioproducts. Future research should focus on articulating technology and applied science to establish production models to improve the traceability and safety of Cannabis sativa extracts, favoring their integration into the pharmaceutical and agro-industrial industry.

Understanding specific nutritional requirements of plants is a necessary component of growth optimization and can help growers promote desired traits and mitigate undesired traits. Cannabis is one such medicinally valuable plant prized for its content of specific phytochemicals. Cannabis is a commodity with numerous chemovars, each with their own nutritional needs. This can make generalizing targets for elemental content in the finished plant commodity difficult. One approach to make better informed decisions about cannabis plant nutrition is the application of chemometrics. In the current study, thirteen elements were quantitatively measured in the leaves of cannabis plants using an Agilent Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy and an Elementar Vario Macro Cube. Correlation analysis, principal components analysis, and K-means clustering were utilized to describe and elucidate trends in the dataset. Moderately positive, monotonic correlations were found between magnesium, boron, and calcium, along with nitrogen, sulfur, and copper. PCA was used to corroborate these relationships. Clustering analysis was able to identify three distinct groups to which strains could be mapped with a relatively high degree of resolution when compared to cultivator identifiers. These findings suggest similar methods of introduction and elemental incorporation into the strains of these distinct groups. The method utilized in the current study demonstrate the ability of naïve clustering analysis to isolate differences in elemental concentrations between strains, allowing for the identification of unique cannabis chemovars. Such a process may be used to guide cultivation by classifying strains based on inherent nutritional requirements.