Baylor Researchers find CBD improves arthritis symptoms in dogs
Baylor College of Medicine researchers recently conducted a scientific study in partnership with a CBD company to determine the potential therapeutic effects of cannabidiol (CBD) for arthritic pain in dogs. The results could help catalyze additional research in humans. The demand for arthritis pain relief is strong as it is the leading cause of pain and disability in the U.S. with no fully effective treatment.
Published in the journal PAIN, the study first showed both in laboratory tests and mouse models that CBD, a non-addictive product derived from hemp (cannabis), can significantly reduce the production of inflammatory molecules and immune cells associated with arthritis. Later, the study showed that in dogs diagnosed with the condition, CBD treatment significantly improved quality of life as documented by both owner and veterinarian assessments.
CBD can exert numerous biological effects through several different receptors and signaling pathways, including anti-inflammatory effects in both acute and chronic conditions. This work supports future scientific evaluation of CBD for human arthritis.
The CBD exerts robust and quantifiable anti-inflammatory properties in experimental systems. These experimental results were translatable in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in a spontaneous canine model of OA. In this assessment, administration of high-dose naked CBD (but not low-dose naked CBD or placebo) was associated with significant improvements to quality of life as quantitated by both owner and veterinarian. The results suggest that clinical studies in humans may be welcomed and warranted in a variety of different disease stages of arthritis.