Each month our editorial team sifts through hundreds of papers and curates notable findings—for practitioners and informed readers who want to stay current with the evidence. Subscribe to the monthly Research Digest for expert analysis and concise summaries of key papers.
Some research suggests that whole-plant cannabis compounds (like THC, CBD, other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids) can interact so the plant’s effects differ from CBD alone. Healthline explains three CBD types — full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolate — and notes legal, safety, and labeling limits. The article says there is evidence for…
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a widespread brain signaling system made of cannabinoid receptors, naturally made lipid messengers, and the enzymes that make and break those messengers. The two best-studied messengers are 2-AG and anandamide, and they are produced and degraded by different enzyme pathways. CB1 receptors are common in…
This review says cannabidiol (CBD) is a non‑psychoactive cannabis compound that has antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory actions in lab and some clinical studies. CBD can act directly to neutralize reactive molecules and indirectly by changing cell signals and antioxidant enzymes. Experiments in cells and animals show CBD lowers markers of oxidative…
This review collected human studies on how cannabidiol (CBD) is absorbed, distributed, and cleared. From 792 records, 24 studies reported pharmacokinetic (PK) data. Results varied by how CBD was given and by formulation. For example, smoking produced faster and higher blood levels than oral or oromucosal routes. The authors concluded…
This 2017 review of studies up to 2014 looked at how cannabis and related drugs affect sleep. The authors found early, mixed evidence: cannabidiol (CBD) showed possible benefit for insomnia and some sleep disorders, THC might make people fall asleep faster but could harm sleep quality over time, and some…
This review describes the endocannabinoid system (ECS) as a widespread network of natural cannabinoids, cannabinoid receptors (mainly CB1 and CB2), and the enzymes that make and break those chemicals. The ECS helps shape brain development and adjusts how neurons communicate. The authors note that THC is the main psychoactive part…
This article follows cannabis from its earliest known uses about 12,000 years ago in Central Asia through its spread around the world and long history of medical and practical uses, to modern science that identified THC in 1964 and the body's endocannabinoid system in the 20th century. It notes archaeological…
This brief review explains what is known about medical cannabis and its main chemicals. Cannabis has many natural compounds, and the two best-known are Δ9‑tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9‑THC), which causes psychoactive effects, and cannabidiol (CBD), which does not. The authors describe possible medical uses (for pain, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative diseases) but say…
This laboratory study found that cannabidiol (CBD), a non‑psychoactive compound from Cannabis sativa, reduced fat production and inflammation in human sebaceous (oil) gland cells. The effects were seen in cultured human sebocytes and in human skin organ cultures, where CBD blocked the fat‑making (lipogenic) actions of several compounds. These results…
The study heated Cannabis sativa extracts at 80, 95, 110, 130, and 145 °C for up to 60 minutes and measured acidic and neutral cannabinoids with an advanced UHPSFC/PDA‑MS lab method. Concentrations changed in an exponential way, which fits a first‑order (or pseudo‑first‑order) reaction model. The team calculated rate constants…
This was a small, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 13-week pilot trial of two nonpsychoactive cannabis-related compounds (cannabidiol, CBD, and tetrahydrocannabivarin, THCV) in 62 people with type 2 diabetes who were not using insulin. Participants were assigned to CBD, THCV, two CBD/THCV combination doses, or placebo. Compared with placebo, THCV lowered fasting…
This 2019 systematic review looked at human studies of medicinal cannabis and cannabis-derived isolates for major psychiatric disorders. The authors found that the evidence is very new and limited, so it is too early to recommend cannabis medicines for psychiatric conditions. Some small or isolated studies suggest benefits for a…
