Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a non-psychotropic cannabinoid derived from cannabis. In recent years, it has been an active area of research in the clinical setting and has enjoyed notable success with the population regarding its beneficial effects on health, especially in the form of CBD oil. Indeed, numerous studies have highlighted more than a dozen positive effects of CBD on the body, including analgesic, anxiolytic and neuroleptic effects.
Although CBD is a component of hemp, it is not psychotropic. According to a report from the World Health Organization, “in humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of abuse or dependence potential…To date, there is no evidence of public health concerns. associated with the use of pure CBD”.
CBD is touted as relieving anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. It is also marketed to promote sleep. Part of CBD's popularity is that it is "non-psychoactive" and consumers can experience the health benefits of the plant without the high caused by THC. It is most often used in the form of CBD oil, and is now available on many sales sites, such as the French brand NŌTO CBD.
CBD is advised for a wide variety of medical conditions, but the strongest scientific evidence is for its effectiveness in treating some of the most severe childhood epilepsy syndromes, such as Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. (LGS), which usually do not respond to anticonvulsants. In many studies, CBD was able to reduce the number of seizures and, in some cases, stop them altogether.
Videos of the effects of CBD on these children and their seizures are readily available on the internet for viewing, and they are quite striking. Last year, the FDA approved Epidiolex, a purified CBD extract, to treat rare seizure disorders in patients 2 years of age or older after three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials with 516 patients who showed that the drug, taken with other compounds, helped reduce seizures.
Although there is hope to treat other pathologies with this plant extract, Epidiolex remains the only CBD-derived drug approved by health authorities at present. CBD is commonly used to treat anxiety, and for patients who suffer from insomnia, studies suggest that CBD can help both fall asleep and maintain sleep.
CBD may offer an option for treating different types of chronic pain. A study from the European Journal of Pain showed in an animal model that CBD applied to the skin could help reduce pain and inflammation due to arthritis. Another study demonstrated the mechanism by which CBD inhibits inflammatory and neuropathic pain, two of the most difficult types of chronic pain to treat.
Cannabidiol can help manage anxiety. Researchers believe it works by changing the way receptors in the brain respond to serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in many mental processes. One study found that a 600mg dose of CBD helped people with social anxiety express themselves in public. Other preliminary animal studies have shown that CBD can help relieve anxiety by; reducing stress, decreasing the physiological effects of anxiety (such as increased heart rate), and reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
