Cannabis and Autoimmunity: Possible Mechanisms of Action

Abstract

Medical cannabis (MC) describes the usually inhaled or ingested use of a cannabis plant or cannabis extract for medicinal purposes. The action of whole cannabis plants is extremely complex because their large number of active compounds not only bind to a plethora of different receptors but also interact with each other both synergistically and otherwise. Renewed interest in the medicinal properties of cannabis has led to increasing research into the practical uses of cannabis derivatives, and it has been found that the endocannabinoid system (particularly CB2 receptor activation) is a possible target for the treatment of inflammatory and the autoimmune diseases related to immune cell activation. However, in vivo findings still lack, creating difficulties in applying translational cannabinoid research to human immune functions. In this review, we summarized the main mechanisms of action of medical cannabis plant especially regarding the immune system and the endocannabinoid system, looking at preliminary clinical data in three most important autoimmune diseases of three different specialities: rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease.

Beyond Pain Relief: A Review on Cannabidiol Potential in Medical Therapies

“…Sartim, Guimarães and Joca [ 67 ] also evaluated how CBD’s administration into rats’ ventral medial prefrontal cortex induced stress-coping behavior during the same test. However, this effect was blocked by pretreatment with the 5-HT 1A receptor antagonist WAY100635, which is in line with other reports where the use of a 5-HT 1A antagonist counteracted CBD’s anti-stress and anti-depressive effects [ 87 , 152 , 153 ].…”

“…A great body of evidence has been exposing the endocannabinoid system as a potential target for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune conditions related to immune cell activation. Indeed, medical cannabis and some of its derivatives, such as CBD and THC, have been demonstrating a capacity to downregulate the immune response through the activation of different receptors, resulting in a reduction in the mobilization and migration of leukocytes to sites of inflammation, and inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines release [ 153 , 157 ]. This therapeutic potential may be relevant for the treatment of various autoimmune diseases, including Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis, among several other conditions.…”

Determination of Therapeutic and Safety Effects of Zygophyllum coccineum Extract in Induced Inflammation in Rats

“…[46][47][48]. Plants contain many compounds that could be used separately or combined in therapeutic applications, including anti-inflammatory functions [49,50]. In the present study, we test the impact of Z. coccineum extract against inflammation symptoms in the antigen-induced arthritis rat model.…”

Proposed Canadian Consensus Guidelines on Osteoarthritis Treatment Based on OA-COAST Stages 1–4

“…A full spectrum CBD|THC product has been shown to be more effective in advanced pain cases based on the nature of pain (inflammatory, immune-mediated, neurogenic). The role of THC/THCA and CBD/CBDA as a CB2 receptor agonist in more severe or immune mediated pain is still to be further investigated in dogs but would presume to play a role based on research from other species ( 113 – 115 ). Like other medications, cannabinoids used for OA pain should be accompanied by regular wellness evaluations, blood work and monitoring for patient response or adverse events, as synergistic effects can be noted when used together with other medications due to overlapping mechanism of actions and changes in metabolism ( 112 ).…”