The topical administration of 1% CBD gel “is a potentially effective candidate for an anti-inflammatory agent”, states a new study using animal models.
The study is being published in the October issue of the peer-reviewed journal Cannabis and Cannabinods Research, and it was pubished online ahead of print by the US National Library of Medicine. The study was conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School, Thammasat University, Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency and the University of Québec.
“Cannabidiol (CBD), a phytocannabinoid isolated from cannabis plants, is an interesting candidate for studying its anti-inflammatory effects, especially in the pre-clinical and animal models”, begins the study’s abstract. “Its anti-inflammatory effects, such as reduction of edema and arthritis, have been demonstrated in animal models. However, topical CBD administration requires further evaluation of CBD dosage and efficacy in animal models and clinical settings.”
This in vivo study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of topical CBD administration in an animal model. Various experiments, including the “formalin test, writhing test, carrageenan-induced edema, histopathological examination, and detection of various proinflammatory mediators, were performed”.
Researchers found that “The anti-inflammatory effects in vivo after inflammation induction, represented by decreased times of paw licking, degree of paw edema, and decreased writhing response, showed that 1% of tropical CBD use had significantly comparable or better anti-inflammatory effects when compared with tropical diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory agent. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory effects were significant compared with the placebo.”
In addition, “the histopathological examination showed that topical CBD drastically reduced leukocyte infiltration and the degree of inflammation. This study also showed that the levels of various proinflammatory mediators in the plasma of mice treated with topical CBD did not differ from those treated with diclofenac.”
Researchers conclude by stating that the “topical administration of 1% CBD gel is a potentially effective candidate for an anti-inflammatory agent.”
