The role of cannabis in treating pain has been the subject of many studies and has proved useful in managing different types of pain, mainly refractory to opioid treatment.
CBD is a non-toxic, non-psychoactive compound with very few side effects. Many studies demonstrate the effectiveness of cannabidiol on neuropathic pain. It has revealed itself to be particularly promising in peripheral neuropathic pain caused by chemotherapy. Furthermore, the quality of life of these patients is often affected by insomnia, depression and anxiety. By interacting with serotonergic receptors, CBD is potentially useful in the treatment of these comorbidities, thus improving patients' health and mood. It is not yet clear how CBD exercises its analgesic action on neuropathic pain, but it certainly interacts with different neurotransmissions of the central nervous system. In addition to its interaction with serotonin, its potential involvement in the regulation of adenosine receptors, involved in the transmission and chronicization of pain, has been reported.
CBD has also been shown to be promising for the treatment of inflammatory pain. In fact, in many inflammatory conditions, such as osteoarthritis, CBD acts as a natural anti-inflammatory and prevents aggravation. In a study conducted by the Insubria University of Varese it was highlighted that cannabis extract and CBD can inhibit the production of cytokines, inflammatory molecules. Cannabidiol also acts on the chemical processes characteristic of the endocannabinoid anandamide, which is related to pain perception, and also activates receptors involved in the transmission and chronicisation of pain.
In addition to its effectiveness in chronic pain, its safety has also been proven: in a study published in the Journal of Pain on the long-term safety of medical cannabis use by patients with chronic pain, it was shown that it has a reasonable safety profile. The effectiveness of CBD is not limited to chronic neuropathic and inflammatory pain, but has also been observed in many other clinical conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, insomnia, schizophrenia, and many other diseases resistant to drug therapy.