Frontier mental health research: psychedelics & drug studies

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.

40 papers

Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid‐terpenoid entourage effects

Ethan B. Russo
British Journal of Pharmacology Summary & key facts 2011 1,481 citations

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…

Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research GABA and Rice Research

Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Cannabidiol

Sinemyiz Atalay, Iwona Jarocka-Karpowicz, Elźbieta Skrzydlewska
Antioxidants Summary & key facts 2019 765 citations

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…

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Diet, Metabolism, and Disease GABA and Rice Research

A Systematic Review on the Pharmacokinetics of Cannabidiol in Humans

Sophie Millar, Nicole L. Stone, Andrew Yates, Saoirse E. O’Sullivan
Frontiers in Pharmacology Summary & key facts 2018 522 citations

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…

Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Diet, Metabolism, and Disease

Cannabis, Cannabinoids, and Sleep: a Review of the Literature

Kimberly A. Babson, James Sottile, Danielle M. Morabito
PubMed Summary & key facts 2017 470 citations

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…

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Sleep and related disorders Sleep and Wakefulness Research

Pharmacology of Medical Cannabis

Md Ruhul Amin, Declan W. Ali

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…

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research Sleep and Wakefulness Research

Cannabidiol exerts sebostatic and antiinflammatory effects on human sebocytes

Attila Oláh, Balázs István Tóth, István Borbíró, Koji Sugawara, Attila Gábor Szöllősi, Gabriella Czifra, et al.

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…

Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Ion Channels and Receptors

Decarboxylation Study of Acidic Cannabinoids: A Novel Approach Using Ultra-High-Performance Supercritical Fluid Chromatography/Photodiode Array-Mass Spectrometry

Mei Wang, Yan-Hong Wang, Bharathi Avula, Mohamed M Radwan, Amira S Wanas, John van Antwerp, et al.
PubMed Central (PMC) Summary & key facts 2016 258 citations

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…

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis Psychedelics and Drug Studies

Symptom‐relieving and neuroprotective effects of the phytocannabinoid Δ9‐THCV in animal models of Parkinson’s disease

Concepción García, Cristina Palomo‐Garo, Moisés Garcı́a-Arencibia, Jaime A. Ramos, Roger G. Pertwee, Javier Fernández‐Ruíz
British Journal of Pharmacology Summary & key facts 2011 205 citations

In rats and mice that had brain lesions used to model Parkinson's disease, the plant compound Δ9-THCV reduced movement problems after a single dose and, with repeated dosing, reduced loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain region called the substantia nigra. Some effects seem linked to antioxidant actions and, in…

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research GABA and Rice Research Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

A novel phytocannabinoid isolated from Cannabis sativa L. with an in vivo cannabimimetic activity higher than Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol: Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabiphorol

Cinzia Citti, Pasquale Linciano, Fabiana Russo, Livio Luongo, Monica Iannotta, Sabatino Maione, et al.
Scientific Reports Summary & key facts 2019 200 citations

Researchers isolated a new natural cannabis compound called Δ9-tetrahydrocannabiphorol (Δ9-THCP) and its CBD counterpart (CBDP). In lab tests, Δ9-THCP bound very strongly to the human CB1 receptor (Ki = 1.2 nM) and caused THC-like effects in mice (less movement, pain relief, catalepsy, and lower body temperature). The authors say Δ9-THCP…

Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research GABA and Rice Research

Use of cannabidiol in anxiety and anxiety-related disorders

Jessica W. Skelley, Crystal M. Deas, Zachary Curren, Jonathan Ennis
PubMed Summary & key facts 2020 133 citations

This systematic review looked at human studies of cannabidiol (CBD) for anxiety up to June 2019. Eight studies were included (6 small randomized controlled trials, 1 case series, and 1 case report). The studies tested CBD for anxiety in healthy volunteers, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and PTSD-related anxiety.…

Bipolar Disorder and Treatment Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Impact of Cannabis Use on the Development of Psychotic Disorders

Samuel T. Wilkinson, Rajiv Radhakrishnan, Deepak Cyril D’Souza
Current Addiction Reports Summary & key facts 2014 128 citations

This review looks at research on how cannabis and its active chemicals relate to psychosis. It says there are three patterns: short psychotic symptoms during intoxication, short psychosis that can last beyond intoxication (often resolving within a month in case reports), and persistent psychosis that is not clearly tied to…

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research Sleep and Wakefulness Research

Safety and Toxicology of Cannabinoids

Jane Sachs, Erin McGlade, Deborah Yurgelun‐Todd
Neurotherapeutics Summary & key facts 2015 126 citations

There is a large body of research but no clear answer about cannabis safety and benefits. More than 60 systematic reviews exist, yet findings are mixed because studies use different methods and cannabis products vary a lot. Research shows short- and long-term effects on the heart, lungs, immune system, sleep,…

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects
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