According to newly published research the marijuana compound cannabidiol “shows potential as an abortive agent for treating migraine attacks and headache-related conditions such as spontaneous pain and anxiety”.
The study is published in the peer-reviewed journal Pain, and it’s conducted by researchers at Florida Atlantic University, the Medical University of Lublin in Poland, and the Universities of Ferrara and Padova, both in Italy.
“Migraine is a disabling disorder characterized by recurrent headaches, accompanied by abnormal sensory sensitivity and anxiety”, notes the study’s researchers. “Despite extensive historical use of cannabis in headache disorders, there is limited research on the nonpsychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) for migraine and there is no scientific evidence to prove that CBD is an effective treatment.”
With that in mind, the effects of CBD “are examined here using a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-induced migraine model that provides measures of cephalic allodynia, spontaneous pain, altered light sensitivity (photophobia), and anxiety-like behavior in C57BL/6J mice.”
According to researchers, a single administration of CGRP induced facial hypersensitivity in both female and male mice. Repeated CGRP treatment produced progressively decreased levels in basal thresholds of allodynia in females, but not in males. A single CBD administration protected both females and males from periorbital allodynia induced by a single CGRP injection.
“Repeated CBD administration prevented increased levels of basal allodynia induced by repeated CGRP treatment in female mice and did not lead to responses consistent with migraine headache as occurs with triptans”, states the study. “Cannabidiol, injected after CGRP, reversed CGRP-evoked allodynia. Cannabidiol also reduced spontaneous pain traits induced by CGRP administration in female mice.”
Finally, “CBD blocked CGRP-induced anxiety in male mice, but failed in providing protection from CGRP-induced photophobia in females. These results demonstrate the efficacy of CBD in preventing episodic and chronic migraine-like states with reduced risk of causing medication overuse headache.”
Cannabidiol also “shows potential as an abortive agent for treating migraine attacks and headache-related conditions such as spontaneous pain and anxiety.”
More information on this study can be found by clicking here.
