Therapeutic benefits of CBD

One of the main reasons we are seeing CBD on the rise today is that the psychoactive effects of THC are subverted, and the focus is primarily on the healing properties. According to a study on the Therapeutic potential of CBD, CBD exhibited properties towards anxiolytic (used to reduce anxiety) and neuro protective properties (preservation of neuron structures and functions).

Shown in the article, researchers set out to highlight advancements in clinical uses of CBD in these areas to show the therapeutic benefits of CBD.

CBD VS THC To Reduce Anxiolytic Properties

Cannabis has shown to have a large amount of chemical compounds, over 100 that are more closely related to CBD. One of the more interesting things found about CBD is that “CBD both blocked and potentiated the effects of Δ9-THC” Tests showed that when given a control group large doses THC, anxiety and psychotic symptoms were triggered but then were “attenuated when CBD was administered”.

Not only did this show that CBD can reduce the effects of THC but it opened the door to understanding how CBD could have therapeutic benefits towards anxiolytic properties.

To find the potential anxiolytic effects of CBD a researchers did a controlled study where they had volunteers use the Simulated Public Speaking Test (SPST). Volunteers talk in front of a camera where they record their levels of anxiety and its physiological concomitants (what naturally accompanies something).

"Through this test, the effects of CBD (300 mg) were compared with those produced by two anxiolytic compounds, ipsapirone (5 mg) and diazepam (10 mg), in a double-blind, placebo-controlled procedure. The findings demonstrated that CBD and the two other anxiolytic compounds all attenuated anxiety induced by the SPST.”

Reduction in heart rate and blood pressure after administering CBD during this test further showed that CBD has these anxiolytic properties.

How The Brain Reacts To CBD

When taking images of the brain after being administered CBD researches results showed that “an increase in the left parahippocampal gyrus activity and a decrease in left amigdala-hippocampus complex, extending to the left posterior cingulate cortex and the hypothalamus 4 This brain activity pattern associated with the use of CBD was regarded as compatible with a central anxiolytic effect in these areas.” Further showing that the areas of our brain that deal with and manage anxiety were responding with lower levels of anxiety than previous images without CBD.

The most impressive find in this whole case study was that CBD was shown to lower measures of anxiety without the sedation of the subject. Reducing activity in the hippocampus, parahippocampal and left temporal gyrus was all a factor in reducing anxiety in subjects.

In Conclusion

The therapeutic benefits of CBD when delivered to humans doesn’t produce the psychoactive effects commonly associated with THC. THC itself has been shown to increase anxiolytic, antiepileptic, and antipsychotic properties but when CBD isolated from cannabis shows that it can in fact reduce anxiolytic, antiepileptic, and antipsychotic properties. Administering CDB can help reduce these anxiolytic effects.

Case Study Article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6161644/