Journal of cannabis research最新文献

Background: Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid increasingly used during pregnancy, has been proposed to modulate inflammatory processes. However, its effects on human placental immune functions remain poorly characterized. This study investigates the impact of CBD on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in human placenta explants and primary trophoblast cells, focusing on cytokine expression, receptor involvement, and underlying mechanisms.

Methods: Term placental explants and syncytiotrophoblast cells were exposed to LPS with or without CBD. Inflammatory cytokine levels were quantified by ELISA and RT-qPCR. Receptor involvement was assessed using selective antagonists for cannabinoid receptors type 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2), and transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1). NF-κB activation was evaluated by immunofluorescence, and caspase-1 activity was measured to explore inflammasome-related pathways.

Results: CBD significantly attenuated LPS-induced interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and interleukin 18 (IL-18) expression in a concentration-dependent manner, without inducing cytotoxicity. These effects were not reversed by CB1, CB2, or TRPV1 antagonists, indicating that other pathways are likely involved. CBD was associated with reduced NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation yet did not affect caspase-1 activity or transcript levels, indicating inflammasome-independent suppression.

Conclusion: CBD exerts anti-inflammatory effects in human placenta and trophoblasts, associated with reduced NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation and independent of CB1, CB2, and TRPV1 signaling, without evidence of canonical inflammasome activation. Given the placenta's role in fetal programming, these findings underscore the importance of evaluating CBD's developmental impact in the context of its growing perinatal use.

Background: On April 1st, 2024, Germany legalized recreational cannabis use under specific conditions. While policymakers extensively debated this change, the perspectives of healthcare providers who will address its consequences remain understudied. This study aims to characterize primary care physicians' experiences with cannabis-consuming patients and their expectations regarding the effects of legalization.

Methods: This is an exploratory cross-sectional survey among general practitioners (GPs) and practice-based anesthesiologists in three German federal states (Lower Saxony, Bavaria, and Saarland) from September 2023 to March 2024, preceding cannabis legalization. The 17-item questionnaire assessed physicians' experiences with cannabis-consuming patients, medical cannabis prescribing practices, personal cannabis use experience, and expectations regarding legalization consequences.

Results: Of 946 successfully delivered surveys, 239 physicians responded (25.3% response rate). Most physicians anticipated increased cannabis consumption and disorders post-legalization, with those providers with personal cannabis experience (37.9%) more optimistic about achieving policy goals such as cannabis quality control, compared to those without such experience. Despite 40.3% prescribing medical cannabis in their practice, respondents rarely screened specifically for cannabis use and only few showed interest in additional training.

Conclusion: Our survey reveals that German primary care physicians anticipate increased cannabis consumption and patient inquiries following legalization, yet current screening practices remain limited with modest interest in additional training. Enhanced integration of healthcare providers into cannabis policy implementation could improve patient care and support public health objectives.

Trial registration: NA.

Background: Despite the Netherlands having one of the world's oldest medical cannabis programs, the majority of people who use cannabis for medicinal purposes continue to rely on non-prescribed sources. This study investigates patterns of use, motives for use, perceived effectiveness, and barriers to accessing prescribed cannabis among individuals self-medicating with non-prescribed cannabis.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between January and April 2023, using convenience sampling primarily via social media. Participants (N = 1059) were adults (18 years or older) residing in the Netherlands who self-reported current use of non-prescribed cannabis-based products to manage physical or mental health symptoms.

Results: Cannabis was used to manage a wide range of conditions, most commonly chronic pain, sleep disorders, depression, and ADHD/ADD, with three out of four participants reporting use for multiple conditions. Most participants obtained cannabis from coffeeshops, although one in four also reported home cultivation as a source. Participants typically smoked cannabis with tobacco, reported (near-)daily use for therapeutic purposes, and indicated a monthly expenditure of €100. The majority was not aware of the THC and CBD content of their products. Perceived effectiveness was rated as high, and more than half of those with a history of prescription medication use reported substituting cannabis for these medications. Only a minority of participants had ever used, or were currently using, prescribed cannabis. Commonly cited barriers included perceived lower quality, higher cost, and lower ease of access compared with non-prescribed cannabis.

Conclusions: The widespread use of non-prescribed cannabis for medicinal purposes in the Netherlands reflects both unmet health needs and barriers within the regulated medical cannabis system. Risky use practices - such as smoking cannabis with tobacco and using products without knowing their cannabinoid content - raise public health concerns. The findings highlight the need for harm reduction strategies and policies that better align medical cannabis regulation with patients' real-world behaviours and care needs.

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.