New research has found that cannabidiol (CBD) could help curb the urge for your next cigarette – and may even help you quit nicotine for good.
A team, led by Washington State University researchers, tested the effects of CBD on human liver tissue and cell samples, showing that it inhibited a key enzyme for nicotine metabolism.
For those who are addicted to nicotine, slowing the metabolism of the drug could allow them to wait longer before feeling the need to inhale more of it, along with all the other harmful components found in cigarette smoke.
Cigarette smoking is still a major health problem with one in five people in the US dying every year from smoking-related causes.
While often seen as less harmful, many other nicotine delivery methods including vaping, snuff and chew also contain chemicals that can cause cancer and other illnesses.
In this study, the researchers tested CBD and its major metabolite, meaning what it converts to in the body, 7-hyroxycannabidiol, on microsomes from human liver tissue as well as on microsomes from specialised cell lines that allowed them to focus on individual enzymes related to nicotine metabolism.
They found that CBD inhibited several of these enzymes, including the major one for nicotine metabolism, identified as CYP2A6.
Other research has found that more than 70% of nicotine is metabolised by this enzyme in the majority of tobacco users. The impact of CBD on this particular enzyme appeared quite strong, inhibiting its activity by 50% at relatively low CBD concentrations.
More research is needed to confirm these effects in humans and determine dosage levels, but these findings show promise, said senior author on the study, Philip Lazarus, WSU professor of pharmaceutical sciences.
“The whole mission is to decrease harm from smoking, which is not from the nicotine per se, but all the carcinogens and other chemicals that are in tobacco smoke,” said Professor Lazarus.
“If we can minimise that harm, it would be a great thing for human health.”
Lazarus’ team, including first author Shamema Nasrin, Shelby Coates, Keti Bardhi and Christy Watson of WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences as well as Joshua Muscat of Penn State Cancer Institute, is currently developing a clinical study to examine the effects of CBD on nicotine levels in smokers.
They will measure nicotine levels in their blood versus smokers taking a placebo over the course of six to eight hours. Once this is complete, they hope to do a much larger study looking at CBD and nicotine addiction.
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