A new study published in The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics suggests that nonpsychotropic cannabinoids (npCBs) such as cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) may help reduce abdominal pain associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Researchers from the University of Calgary found that these cannabinoids, both individually and in combination, alleviated visceral hypersensitivity in an animal model of colitis.
The study examined the effects of CBD, CBG, cannabichromene, and cannabidivarin using a dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis model. A single injection of 10 mg/kg of CBD or CBG significantly reduced visceral hypersensitivity and spinal dorsal horn activation. Additionally, a combination of subtherapeutic doses of npCBs—including 5 mg/kg CBD with 1 mg/kg of the other cannabinoids—provided similar pain relief without affecting colitis severity.
Electrophysiological analysis indicated that the antinociceptive effects of these cannabinoids were mediated through voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels, particularly Cav2.2. The findings suggest that CBD, CBG, and a combination of npCBs may be effective in managing pain associated with IBD, offering a potential alternative for patients seeking relief from abdominal pain.
“In our study, we demonstrated that cannabidiol, cannabigerol, and a combination of nonpsychotropic cannabinoids, administered at subtherapeutic doses, effectively alleviated visceral hypersensitivity associated with inflammatory bowel disease”, concludes researchers.
