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.
104 papers
This randomized, double‑blind, cross‑over trial gave 51 patients with life‑threatening cancer two sessions of psilocybin (one very low dose and one high dose) spaced five weeks apart. The high dose (22–30 mg/70 kg) produced large drops in clinician‑ and self‑rated depression and anxiety, and increased quality of life, meaning, and…
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 randomized, double-blind phase 3 trial tested MDMA-assisted therapy versus placebo with the same therapy in 90 adults with severe PTSD. Participants had three drug sessions plus preparatory and integration therapy, and were assessed 18 weeks after starting. The MDMA group had larger drops in PTSD symptoms and in functional…
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 paper pooled data from six randomized, double‑blind phase‑2 trials of MDMA‑assisted psychotherapy for adults with PTSD (total N=103). After two blinded MDMA sessions, the MDMA group showed larger reductions in clinician‑rated PTSD symptoms than the control group (mean difference −22.0 points on the CAPS‑IV, P < 0.001) and a…
This multi-site, randomized, double-blind phase 3 trial tested MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) versus placebo with the same therapy in 104 people with moderate to severe PTSD. Blinded assessors found larger average reductions in PTSD symptoms and in functional impairment for the MDMA-AT group than for the placebo group. The MDMA group…
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…
