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Review
. 2023 Sep 25;11(10):2630.
doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11102630.

Therapeutic Potential of Cannabis: A Comprehensive Review of Current and Future Applications

Zach J Leinen  1 , Rahul Mohan  1 , Lakmini S Premadasa  2 , Arpan Acharya  1 , Mahesh Mohan  2 , Siddappa N Byrareddy  1
Affiliations
Review

Therapeutic Potential of Cannabis: A Comprehensive Review of Current and Future Applications

Zach J Leinen et al. Biomedicines. .

Abstract

Historically, cannabis has been valued for its pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, and calming properties. Ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Greeks, and Chinese medicines recognized their therapeutic potential. The discovery of the endocannabinoid system, which interacts with cannabis phytoconstituents, has scientifically explained how cannabis affects the human immune system, including the central nervous system (CNS). This review explores the evolving world of cannabis-based treatments, spotlighting its diverse applications. By researching current research and clinical studies, we probe into how cannabinoids like Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) help to manage conditions ranging from chronic pain, persistent inflammation, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and neurological disorders to even viral diseases such as Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV), SARS-CoV-2. and the emerging monkeypox. The long-term recreational use of cannabis can develop into cannabis use disorder (CUD), and therefore, understanding the factors contributing to the development and maintenance of cannabis addiction, including genetic predisposition, neurobiological mechanisms, and environmental influences, will be timely. Shedding light on the adverse impacts of CUD underscores the importance of early intervention, effective treatment approaches, and public health initiatives to address this complex issue in an evolving landscape of cannabis policies and perceptions.

Keywords: CBD; SARS-CoV-2; THC; cannabinoids; cannabis; gut-brain axis; inflammation; monkeypox.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Structural formulas of different phytocannabinoid types from the cannabis plant obtained from the ChemSpider|Search and share chemistry (chemspider.com (accessed on 10 August 2023)).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Medical use of cannabis. Cannabis and different phytocomponents of cannabis, like THC and CBD, have been used for various therapies that include but are not limited to treating seizures and convulsions, vomiting and nausea, peripheral neuropathy and pain, and psoriasis; reducing cancer cell growth, bone loss, and inflammatory bowel disorder; being used as an anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive; and lowering blood glucose level (Generated using BioRender).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Impact of long-term recreational use of cannabis in the brain. Prolonged recreational cannabis use can lead to dependence and addiction, resulting in mood alterations, memory impairment, hallucinations, and even psychosis. (Generated using BioRender).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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