Clinical/Therapeutic Approaches for Cannabinoid Ligands in Central and Peripheral Nervous System Diseases: Mini Review.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Cannabinoids, the components of Cannabis sativa Linnaeus, interact with CB1 and CB2 receptors, which are located both in the central nervous system and in the periphery and thus may exert a widespread biological activity in the body. The main medicinal properties of cannabinoids include analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, appetite stimulation, antiemesis, and muscle relaxation effects. This mini review aims to explore existing clinical trials that investigated the use of cannabinoids in diseases affecting the nervous system. METHODS: We reviewed recent studies of cannabinoid-based therapy for disorders affecting central and peripheral nervous system in human subjects. RESULTS: There is evidence that cannabinoid-based drugs may effectively control some symptoms associated with nervous system dysfunction, especially various types of pain and neurologic disorders, although studies are limited. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of cannabinoid drugs in the treatment of nervous system diseases should be verified in future large-scale randomized clinical trials.