Alcohol Versus Cannabinoids: A Review of their Opposite Neuro-Immunomodulatory Effects and Future Therapeutic Potentials

Abstract

Due to the legalization of marijuana and the increased demand for cannabis and alcohol consumption, research efforts highlighting the biomedical consequences of the use of alcohol and cannabinoids are not only relevant to the substance abuse scientific field, but are also of public health interest. Moreover, an overview of the recent literature about alcohol and cannabinoids neuro-immunomodulatory effects highlighting their future therapeutic potentials will provide a significant contribution to science and medicine. Therefore, in the current review, we will first discuss briefly the prevalence of alcohol and marijuana abuse, followed by a discussion on the individual effects of alcohol and cannabinoids on the immune system; then, we will focus on the role of endocannabinoids on the alcohol-induced inflammatory effects. In addition, the review also incorporates cytokine array data obtained from human monocyte-derived dendritic cells, providing a different perspective on the alcohol and cannabinoid abuse divergent effects on cytokine production. The final section will highlight the therapeutic potential of cannabinoid receptors and the novel strategies to treat alcohol dependence as determined by in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies.

The Neuroprotective Effects of Cannabis-Derived Phytocannabinoids and Resveratrol in Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review of Pre-clinical Studies

“…There has been a recent upsurge in the potential use of dietary polyphenols as neuroprotective agents in PD [18] [Supplementary Figure S1]. Of these, neuro-modulatory cannabis-derived phytocannabinoids (CDCs) and resveratrol (RSV) overlap, such that both can be consumed through recreational use as cannabis and alcoholic drinks including red wine, respectively [19,20].…”

Examining the moderating role of cannabis use on the relationship between alcohol consumption and inflammation in individuals with alcohol use disorder

“…The potential anti‐inflammatory properties of cannabis may modulate the proinflammatory effects of alcohol. 11 , 12 There is evidence that the positive association between alcohol use and IL‐6 levels is stronger in individuals who drink regularly but do not use cannabis, compared with individuals who co‐use alcohol and cannabis. 13 Given this potential mitigation of the inflammatory consequences of alcohol consumption, cannabis (specifically CBD) has been proposed as a potential therapeutic agent for AUD.…”

The Neuroprotective Effects of Cannabis-Derived Phytocannabinoids and Resveratrol in Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Literature Review of Pre-Clinical Studies

“…There has been a recent upsurge in the potential use of dietary polyphenols as neuroprotective agents in neurodegenerative diseases including PD [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ] [ Supplementary Figure S1 ]. Cannabis sativa is a natural herbaceous plant historically consumed or smoked for recreational and therapeutic purposes [ 29 ].…”

“…The structures of these compounds and BCP are shown in Table 1 . The neuro-modulatory potential of these cannabis-derived phytocannabinoids (CDCs) and RSV overlap, such that both can be consumed through recreational use as cannabis and alcoholic drinks including red wine, respectively [ 26 , 27 ]. Therefore, a systematic literature review was undertaken to appraise the experimental literature that has considered the potential neuroprotective effects of these CDCs and RSV in pre-clinical animal studies of PD.…”