Neurosurgeon Pedro Pierro details how cannabis acts on pain, mood, and body homeostasis
Neurosurgeon explains on Deusa Cast podcast how cannabis acts on pain, mood, and multiple symptoms, functioning as a multifunctional therapeutic tool
Published on 01/12/2026
Specialist compares cannabis to a multifunctional tool in caring for patients with chronic diseases and cancer | Sechat
Neurosurgeon and scientific director of Sechat, Pedro Pierro, detailed in his participation on the Deusa Cast podcast the pharmacological properties of the Cannabis sativa plant. During the episode, the doctor compared the structure of the plant, composed of phytocannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes, to a holistic multifunctional "Swiss army knife," capable of acting on various physiological fronts to restore the internal balance of the body, a process known as homeostasis.
Mechanism of action and pain dissociation
The action of cannabinoids presents a differential in the treatment of chronic conditions where pain management is complex. According to Pierro, the plant acts by separating physical perception from emotional impact: “Cannabis, it dissociates. You tolerate pain better when you remove the suffering component,” stated the specialist.
This mechanism allows patients with diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis to have an improvement in quality of life, even when pain is a "mandatory" factor of the pathology. In addition, the treatment often results in improvements in secondary symptoms, such as reduced irritability and mood adjustment, which the patient often did not identify as a priority.
The therapeutic versatility is exemplified in the management of oncological conditions, where the patient faces multiple simultaneous symptoms. The doctor emphasizes that the plant is an effective tool for treating the individual comprehensively: “if I have an oncological patient who has pain, anxiety from the disease, is vomiting from chemotherapy, and is not sleeping at night, one medication has the potential to control [all of this].”
Historical and pharmacological safety
The relationship between humanity and cannabis is based on a long history of use. As pointed out in the episode, there are fossils of plant domestication from 12,000 years ago and written descriptions from 5,000 years ago. For Dr. Pierro, the plant functions as a multifunctional tool. “Cannabis, because it has several tools, has a potential that even has a term that I find very cool, which is a holistic multifunctionality,” concludes.
