The science behind cannabidiol (CBD)

The science behind cannabidiol (CBD)

Studies on the cannabidiol (CDB), one of the components of medicinal cannabis, are revolutionizing the way we treat diseases of varying degrees, from mild pain to highly complex conditions. CBD is now being considered as a possible alternative treatment with therapeutic potential.

If you are reading this article, it may be because you or someone close to you is undergoing medical treatment or taking prescription medication and considering all possible treatment options. But have you actually considered all of the effects that these medicines could be having on you or your loved one?

Unfortunately, the cure can sometimes be worse than the disease itself. Generally, when searching for a complementary treatment to reduce the side effects of many conventional treatments, we have to turn to therapies or products without adequate scientific proof of their effectiveness.

What research is there currently surrounding CBD ?

For decades, scientists have been researching the range of benefits of cannabidiol. There are currently a number of studies that prove CBD could be potential therapy for a range of diseases:

Therapeutic effects of CBD on anxiety


Anxiety is a normal and expected response to stressful situations that make us feel worried or vulnerable. But excessive anxiety can stop you from living your life and may require direct intervention to calm your nerves.

The study “Effects of ipsapirone and cannabidiol on human experimental anxiety” , analyzed the therapeutic effect of cannabinoids, particularly CBD, on these types of situations and found CBD to be an encouraging treatment for panic disorders and various types of anxiety.

Effects of CBD on cancer

Over 122 research studies have been conducted on the effects of CBD on cancer. Here are just a few of the studies that have been carried out recently:

Treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy

50 million people worldwide suffer from epilepsy and in cases of refractory epilepsy, uncontrolled epilepsy, or treatment-resistant epilepsy, the patient does not respond to traditional treatment.

The study “Cannabidiol: its use in refractory epilepsies”, published in 2017, explores the use of CBD as a therapy for patients whose seizures had not responded to previous treatment. The frequency of patients´ seizures reduced by 40% and disappeared completely in 27% of patients, suggesting a possible beneficial effect of cannabidiol on the control of seizures in patients with refractory epilepsies.  

CBD and its effects on pain

CBD and its effects on pain

Pain affects various parts of the brain, which makes the relationship between pain and perception rather complex to analyze. Pain is multidimensional and the study “The sensory-discriminative and affective-motivational aspects of pain”, analyzed whether the application of CBD affects pain in the various ways that it can be felt and experienced.

One of the results of this study was that the general application of CBD reduces mechanical allodynia (abnormal sensory processing) in injured subjects. This can also help control pain that no analgesic, however strong, has been able to alleviate.

CBD and protection from brain damage

Another study, “Cannabidiol reduces brain damage and improves functional recovery in a neonatal rat model of arterial ischemic stroke”, analyzed the effect of cannabidiol on rats and its ability to reduce brain damage and improve the functional recovery following brain damage.

Through analyzing the effects on the brain and conducting behavioral tests and other studies, the researchers found that CBD administration after the induced blockage of arteries, led to long-term functional recovery.

CBD reduced the following:

  • Loss of neuronal structure and functioning
  • Abnormal increase of astrocytes (brain cells)
  • Cell damage
  • Inflammation of nervous tissue
  • Death rate

Regulating high blood pressure with CBD

Regulating high blood pressure with CBD


In one study, volunteers were chosen at random to monitor their blood pressure to verify whether CBD reduces high blood pressure, which, in fact, it does in terms of resting systolic blood pressure (high) and stroke volume (volume of blood that the heart expels to the aorta when it contracts). CBD was also found to reduce the blood pressure response to stress.

CBD reduces liver damage

Excessive alcohol consumption over a long period time can cause serious damage to the liver, which prevents its proper functioning. In the study, “Cannabidiol attenuates alcohol-induced liver steatosis…”, CBD was shown to reduce the accumulation of hepatic enzymes and lower liver triglyceride content.

The above study provides excellent proof that CBD could be a potential therapeutic treatment for inflammation, oxidative stress and steatosis (accumulation of fat in the liver) in alcoholic liver diseases.

Cannabinoids in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease is chronic, or in other words, whilst it can be treated, it is not likely to be cured, as a definitive cure has yet to be found. Much of the medication used to treat it may only have limited benefits and lose their effectiveness over time.

In the study, “Therapeutic Use of Cannabis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease” the epidemiological data and the human therapy studies revealed the potential role of cannabinoids in treating symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, though the results were not entirely conclusive.

Cannabinoids and the reduction in opioid use

Although it has yet to be published, one study has spent 18 months trying to answer the question: “Does medicinal cannabis reduce opioid use in adults with chronic pain?”

Opioids are a type of drug that affects the nervous system and emulates endorphins (which result in a feeling of well being). Opioids can also produce dependence and if they are not taken appropriately and according to their specified dosage, they can lead to an overdose. With this in mind, if there is an alternative that could control pain without causing any withdrawal symptoms, bring it on!

This is potentially the first long-term study on this topic, and we cannot wait to share the results with you.

Research surrounding the impact of CBD on various diseases is still underway, with new results emerging all the time, some conclusive and some not. What is clear though, is that there are even more benefits of CBD that have yet to be discovered.