Botucatu, a city in the countryside of São Paulo, is often remembered for the silence of the trees and the university rhythm that pulsates around Unesp - São Paulo State University. It is there that veterinarian Rogério Martins Amorim, a professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, has dedicated his career to a topic that, until a few years ago, seemed distant from clinical practice: the therapeutic potential of cannabis in animal health.

On the same campus, one of the most structured initiatives in the country in the sector gains strength: NUDEcan Unesp - Nucleus of Cannabis Development, a project that brings together research, cultivation, and technological innovation.

The initiative is the result of broad technical-scientific cooperation between Unesp, the Ministry of Agrarian Development, the Ministry of Health, Fiocruz, and several cannabis associations.

The goal is to develop research, extracts, and technologies that will enable the future inclusion of cannabis derivatives in the Unified Health System (SUS).

As announced months ago, the project will be established in the city of Ilha Solteira (SP) and aims to structure, in a regulated manner, the entire chain involving the production, extraction, and application of the medicinal and industrial potential of the plant.

With this articulation, NUDEcan consolidates Unesp as a national reference in advancing evidence-based cannabis solutions.

In a recent interview with Sechat, Amorim highlighted how science has broadened the perspective on the well-being of dogs and cats, and how new studies are offering safer, more individualized, and accessible paths for owners seeking quality of life for their animals.

“Our focus is to understand how these compounds can act in a responsible, ethical, and scientifically grounded manner,” he explained.

Cannabis and Aging: Research Targets Signs of Cognitive Dysfunction

Among the studies he leads, Amorim detailed a study that has sparked great interest in the scientific community: the investigation of the effects of cannabis on signs of cognitive dysfunction in dogs, a condition considered the veterinary equivalent of Alzheimer's disease in humans.

According to the researcher, elderly dogs with cognitive dysfunction present symptoms that profoundly affect the family's routine: reversal of the sleep-wake cycle, disorientation, compulsive walking around the house, vocalizations, anxiety, episodes of aggression, and changes in elimination patterns. “These signs bring a lot of harm to the quality of life of the animal and the owners,” he emphasized.

In the ongoing study, these dogs are being treated with cannabis oil, and the initial results have been encouraging. “The animals reduce compulsive walking, vocalization, become calmer, sleep better. Some even reduce aggression. There is a clear improvement in quality of life,” he reinforced.
 

The research is being conducted within FMVZ-Unesp Botucatu, both in undergraduate and graduate programs in Veterinary Medicine, in partnership with his student Klysse Assumpção, who has also been interviewed by Sechat discussing a bit about this project.

Check out an excerpt from the interview with the veterinarian: