A study published today in the journal Phytomedicine Plus finds that cannabidiol (CBD) may help calm intestinal spasms and reduce diarrhea, offering potential relief for people with functional gastrointestinal disorders.
The findings, conducted by researchers from the National University of La Plata in Argentina, come from a combination of laboratory and animal experiments designed to better understand how CBD affects intestinal motility, one of the core problems in conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.
In the laboratory portion of the study, researchers examined how CBD influenced contractions in isolated sections of rat small intestine. When the tissue was exposed to carbachol to induce contractions, CBD applied at very low concentrations consistently reduced those contractions in a non-competitive manner.
The team then explored the mechanism behind this response, finding clear evidence that CBD’s effects were tied to potassium channels. When potassium channel blockers such as tetraethylammonium and glibenclamide were introduced, CBD’s potency dropped substantially, pointing to both general potassium channels and KATP channels as contributors to its activity. Notably, CBD did not alter contractions triggered by calcium, indicating its action did not involve L-type calcium channels.
The in vivo results aligned with the lab findings. In a mouse model of castor oil-induced diarrhea, oral CBD at 10 and 30 mg/kg offered 56% protection, similar to the antidiarrheal drug loperamide, while increasing the number of dried feces without suppressing overall defecation. That distinction is important, as it suggests CBD may reduce diarrhea without causing constipation.
Taken together, the researchers conclude that CBD shows meaningful antispasmodic and antidiarrheal activity through potassium channel pathways, offering early evidence that it could be beneficial for conditions marked by painful spasms or rapid intestinal transit.
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