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.
13 papers
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…
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 review explains that terpenes are the main parts of cannabis essential oils and give cannabis its smells. Hundreds of terpenes have been identified, and they shape how different cannabis types smell, how consumers experience them, and their market value. The authors say terpenes are made and stored in glandular…
This review explains how the main cannabis chemicals, especially THC and CBD, act in the body and how the body absorbs and breaks them down. THC and CBD bind to cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) in the brain and other organs. Inhaling THC delivers it to blood and brain fast…
The use and availability of oral and inhalable products containing cannabidiol (CBD) as the principal constituent has increased with expanded cannabis/hemp legalization. However, few controlled clinical laboratory studies have evaluated the ...
In a small randomized, double-blind crossover study of 15 men with chronic radicular lower‑limb neuropathic pain, a single sublingual dose of THC (about 15.4 mg on average) reduced pain more than placebo. The amount of pain relief was linked to changes on resting‑state fMRI: reduced connectivity between emotional/cognitive brain areas…
This paper reviews research from the last two decades showing ketamine can be a safe, fast-acting, and sustained antidepressant that helps some people with treatment-resistant depression. The authors describe several possible ways ketamine works: blocking NMDA receptors (a brain receptor), boosting new synapse growth and plasticity, reducing inflammation, creating high-entropy…
This review looks at research on cannabis compounds and the body’s endocannabinoid system as possible treatments for depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, PTSD, and schizophrenia. It says the evidence is mixed and mostly preliminary. Some studies show biological links between the endocannabinoid system and mood disorders, and early clinical work suggests…
The study examined 39 FDA Warning Letters about CBD products issued from 2015 to 2019. It found most violations were online (websites and social media) and that nearly all letters (97%) cited companies marketing CBD as an unapproved drug. The letters also showed widespread claims that CBD could treat many…
Recent controlled studies find that THC often raises short-term feelings of anxiety in lab-tested adults, especially at higher doses. Results about CBD are mixed: many newer studies report no clear anxiety-reducing effects in healthy people, and findings in clinical groups are inconsistent. Studies differ in dose, how cannabis was given,…
This review explains that many THC-like chemicals have been made from Δ9-THC over time. It describes their chemistry, how they are made, how they act in the body, lab testing methods, and reports from users. Some of these compounds occur in tiny amounts in natural cannabis, others are made in…
This 2024 literature review examined lab, animal, and human studies on cannabidiol (CBD) for skin and cosmetic use. It says CBD is a non‑psychotropic cannabinoid and that lab and animal evidence suggests CBD may act as an antioxidant, reduce inflammation, help skin moisturize, fight acne, help wounds heal, and have…
