{"id":1505,"date":"2022-06-10T13:42:37","date_gmt":"2022-06-10T16:42:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new-website.wecann.academy\/2022\/06\/10\/cannabinoids-why-you-need-to-study-them-to-broaden-your-therapeutic-arsenal\/"},"modified":"2025-10-19T23:31:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T02:31:07","slug":"cannabinoids-why-you-need-to-study-them-to-broaden-your-therapeutic-arsenal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wecann.academy\/en\/cannabinoids-why-you-need-to-study-them-to-broaden-your-therapeutic-arsenal\/","title":{"rendered":"Cannabinoids: Why you need to study them to broaden your therapeutic arsenal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since the<\/span><\/span>Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa)<\/span><\/span><\/a> regulated the procedures required for the manufacture and commercialization of Cannabis-based products in Brazil at the end of 2019, the medical community\u2019s interest in studying this class of drugs has grown significantly.<\/p>\n

Although cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the best known and most explored phytocannabinoids to date, we already know that there are about 150 cannabinoids<\/strong> among the more than 550 chemical<\/strong> in the Cannabis plant.<\/p>\n

In this text, we will discuss the main therapeutic properties of these substances and show why you, as a physician, should incorporate them into your therapeutic arsenal to achieve better symptom control and more quality of life and well-being for your patients.<\/p>\n

Main cannabinoids and their interactions with SEC<\/h2>\n

The scientific discoveries around the<\/span><\/span>Endocannabinoid System<\/span><\/span><\/a> (ECS)<\/span> have intensified promising new studies into the medical attributes of Cannabis. Although the ECS was only unveiled by science in the second half of the 20th century, this vital regulatory system has been present in humans and all vertebrate animals for hundreds of thousands of years.<\/p>\n

The ECS is involved in virtually all our physiological and pathological processes, through a collection of receptors, ligands, and enzymes that act as signaling pathways between cells. The primary function of this system is to restore the stability of physiological functions, in order to (re)establish the body\u2019s homeostasis.<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It is, therefore, a vital system for our health, as any imbalance in the Endocannabinoid System can be decisive for the development and\/or progression of diseases. The interaction of the endocannabinoid receptors with their main ligands regulates and modulates a series of functions, such as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal function<\/strong>and immune<\/strong> and inflammatory responses<\/strong> in addition to the processes of learning<\/strong>, memory<\/strong> and emotion regulation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Cannabinoid substances can either be produced by our own bodies, which is why they are called endocannabinoids or endogenous cannabinoids<\/strong> – or they can be found in the Cannabis plant, –
\nwhich is called phytocannabinoids or exogenous cannabinoids<\/strong>. Not surprisingly, the interaction of endocannabinoids with the ECS can be stimulated by the chemical compounds in Cannabis, explaining the wide therapeutic potential of this plant.<\/p>\n

Just as the diversity of cannabinoids is large, so is the range of situations for which these substances can be medically useful. Some examples include<\/span><\/span> chronic pain<\/span><\/span><\/a>,<\/span><\/span> neurological disorders<\/span><\/span><\/a> and<\/span><\/span> psychiatric conditions<\/span><\/span><\/a>. In addition, Cannabis can be a valuable adjuvant in the<\/span><\/span>treatment of cancer<\/span><\/span><\/a>. We will tell you more about cannabinoids below.<\/p>\n

Canabidiol (CBD)<\/h3>\n

The cannabidiol (CBD)<\/strong> is the chemical element of Cannabis that has been most explored and widely used to date, due to its variety of therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, and also because it has less psychotropic potential when compared to THC.<\/p>\n

The fear in the medical use of THC is often associated with its psychotropic potential, which can culminate in psycho-toxicity. However, in assertive prescriptive contexts, psycho-toxic reactions from the use of this substance are rare and appropriately manageable. Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that <\/span><\/span>THC<\/span><\/span><\/a> has important therapeutic attributes, even when compared to other phytocannabinoids, such as the CBD itself.<\/p>\n

In our body, the CBD interacts with neurotransmitters such as adenosine, serotonin, and dopamine. As scientific studies suggest, these interactions have positive effects in different pathological contexts, such as in the control of <\/span><\/span>anxiety<\/span><\/span><\/a>, in the improvement of <\/span><\/span>motor performance<\/span><\/span><\/a> and <\/span><\/span>in pain perception<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Several studies have shown the benefits of this phytocannabinoid in the treatment of pain, such as <\/span><\/span> this North American work <\/span><\/span><\/a>carried out with 214<\/b> patients suffering from chronic back pain. The results proved the effectiveness of CBD in this context, in which 66.7%<\/b> of the patients reported pain relief.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

There were positive responses in the treatment of:<\/p>\n