No evidence for efficacy of CBD against pain in humans
Published: Tuesday, Nov 14th 2023, 11:20
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Even at high doses, a new study has not shown sufficient evidence of CBD's effectiveness as a painkiller. This was shown by initial research on humans with the substance.
Animal experiments had shown indications of an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect of the substance during joint wear, MedUni Vienna reported in a press release on Tuesday. However, this was not confirmed in humans.
Pain researchers at MedUni Vienna have investigated the effectiveness of the substance, which is extracted from the hemp plant, against pain in humans for the first time. The results of the clinical study were published in the scientific journal "The Lancet Regional Health - Europe".
86 men and women with an average age of around 63 years who suffered from severe pain due to joint wear and tear in the knee (osteoarthritis of the knee) were involved in the study. While one half of the patients received oral doses of high-dose CBD, the other group was given a placebo that was not recognizable as such, i.e. a drug without an active ingredient. As the strictly controlled study period of eight weeks showed, CBD did not have a stronger pain-relieving effect than the placebo.
Solid information for the first time
"This means that CBD is not an alternative for pain therapy in knee osteoarthritis, so the search for more effective options must continue," emphasized Sibylle Pramhas, first author of the study. "Due to the comparatively high oral dosage and the long observation period, our study is the first to provide solid information on the lack of analgesic potential of CBD in a common chronic pain condition," explained Pramhas.
Pramhas and the MedUni Vienna research team point out that if this potential cannot be demonstrated with high-dose oral medication, then skepticism is even more appropriate with CBD-containing painkillers for application to the skin.
Cannabidiol is a natural substance extracted from the hemp plant. The sale of CBD is legal in Switzerland.
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