Researchers from the Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh have co-authored a new review paper highlighting the potential of CBD in the treatment of endometriosis.
The new paper, published in the top-ranking journal Trends in Pharmacological Science (TIPS), finds that CBD is a “promising therapeutic agent” due to its varying effects on the body.
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition in which cells similar to those in the lining of the uterus are found elsewhere in the body. Alongside debilitating pain during periods and sex, it can affect bowel movements, urination, bloating, nausea, fatigue, and sometimes depression, anxiety, and infertility. There is currently no cure and limited treatment options, which often come with their own debilitating side-effects.
Previous research has highlighted a high prevalence of medicinal cannabis use among endometriosis patients, with one recent European study finding it had a “significant impact on wellbeing and quality of life”.
Elsewhere, studies have suggested that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) could play a role in the pathology of the condition itself, and therefore cannabinoids may have potential as a new treatment option.
CBD is a “promising therapeutic agent for endometriosis”
Researchers evaluated data from patient samples and animal studies, summarising information on currently available CBD-containing products, their pharmacokinetics and use in ongoing clinical trials in endometriosis and other pain conditions.
They focused on the pathophysiology of endometriosis, highlighting processes implicated in the formation and growth of lesions, including pathways where CBD has demonstrated activity.
The paper highlights how CBD acts on a number of molecular targets implicated in the pathogenesis of endometriosis and its associated symptoms. However, further work is needed, they say, to better understand which of the different mechanisms of action of CBD are most important in regulating endometriosis symptoms.
Feedback from patients also suggests CBD products are “well tolerated” with “positive impacts on pain, as well as common comorbid symptoms, such as gastrointestinal disturbances, mood disorders, and poor sleep”.
Based on this, the researchers conclude that CBD is a “promising therapeutic agent for endometriosis” because it has “analgesic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-angiogenic, antiproliferative, and neuroprotective effects”.
They state: “We believe that the balance of evidence from real-world data and trials in other conditions suggest that CBD could be a safe and effective treatment for endometriosis. However, we still lack the definitive high-quality evidence of patient benefit (or side effects), which can only be obtained from well-designed placebo-controlled RCTs. It is hoped that this may be resolved in the next 2–3 years when results of current and planned trials are published.”
A step closer to clinical trials
The study was co-authored by Dr Lucy Whitaker, Professor Andrew Horne and Professor Philippa Saunders of the University of Edinburgh, along with Professor Clive Page and Charles Morgan, chairman of Ananda Developments, a company focused on the development of CBD-based therapies for complex inflammatory conditions.
Ananda says this research takes the company a step closer to upcoming clinical trials on its CBD-based oil formulation in the treatment of endometriosis with the University of Edinburgh, for which it has received NHS funding.
Commenting on the publication of the study, Morgan said in an announcement to investors: ‘The potential of CBD as a safe, efficacious and cost-effective treatment for the symptoms of endometriosis is compelling, and we are encouraged by this recognition in the publication of this review of the data in such a prestigious journal as Trends in Pharmacological Science. We look forward to working with investigators at the University of Edinburgh as they test this hypothesis in the upcoming ENDOCAN clinical trial.
“Our involvement with this research is part of Ananda’s commitment to developing a licensed CBD-based medicine, available on the NHS, for the treatment of the symptoms of endometriosis, a condition which affects 10% of women globally.”
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Author: Sarah Sinclair
