Cannabidiol as an Antipsychotic Treatment

By editorial team Sechat

Schizophrenia, for example, is a complex mental illness that presents symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, social withdrawal, and cognitive deficits. Therefore, the development of antipsychotic compounds with different mechanisms of action and less prone to side effects is an urgent necessity. 

In this context, the endocannabinoid system has been considered a potential target for the treatment of psychological disorders. Although chronic cannabis use, due to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 9-THC), is considered a risk factor for the development of schizophrenia, cannabidiol (CBD), on the other hand, appears to have no psychotomimetic potential (substance that induces mental and psychic effects similar to or associated with psychotic states).

Animal studies have demonstrated the antipsychotic properties of cannabidiol, both in rodents and primates. Furthermore, clinical trials show that the cannabis derivative exhibits antipsychotic properties comparable to conventional medications, with a benign side effect profile.

The clinical improvement observed with cannabidiol is associated with elevated levels of anandamide, an endogenous neurotransmitter (produced by the body), suggesting that its antipsychotic action may be related to mechanisms associated with the increase of this substance. 

Although there are several theories about the mechanisms of action of cannabidiol, its relevance to antipsychotic effects still needs to be investigated. The elucidation of these mechanisms, as well as the confirmation of the antipsychotic efficacy and benign side effect profile of cannabidiol, continue to be the subject of several ongoing clinical trials.