The cannabinoids and terpenes with anti-inflammatory potential

A study published earlier this month highlights the anti-inflammatory potential of a number of potent cannabinoids and terpenes. 

New research has highlighted the potential of selected cannabinoid and terpenes to reduce inflammation associated with a range of serious health conditions. 

The study, which was co-published by biopharmaceutical research and development company, Gb Sciences in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology is said to be among the first to demonstrate the anti-inflammatory potential of some of the minor components of cannabis.

Finding cannabis compounds with anti-inflammatory properties may be useful in decreasing inflammation associated with a wide range of serious human disorders.

This has become even more important due to the increasing prevalence of chronic and auto-immune inflammatory disorders.

Autoimmune diseases, which include conditions such as type 1 diabetes to rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis are now estimated to be increasing by up to 9% a year.

Those behind the study believe the compounds found in cannabis could have more favourable side effect profiles than commonly prescribed NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs).

How the study worked 

The specific compounds included in this study were chosen based on their prior activity within chemovar studies. 

To determine whether these cannabinoids and terpenes could reduce inflammation, Gb Sciences’ colleagues at Michigan State University tested the individual cannabis constituents over a wide range of concentrations in human, primary immune cells in a co-culture system that mimics the complex interactions that regulate the human immune system. 

Three immune cell types were chosen as representatives within these native human immune cell mixtures based on their important roles in modulating the inflammatory cascade.

Which cannabinoids had greater anti-inflammatory potential?

This study demonstrated that delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) had the greatest effect on reducing inflammatory biomarkers and processes in all three immune cell types. 

Following THC, the greatest immune activity modulation was measured by cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabinol (CBN), and lastly, cannabidiol (CBD) in decreasing order based on the number of statistically significant changes measured in inflammatory bioassays relative to the control.

Some of the minor cannabinoids and terpenes tested had very ‘selective’ anti-inflammatory effects, which targeted a single cell type and/or caused a change in only a single inflammatory bioassay.

What about terpenes?

According to the paper, pinene showed the greatest immune modulating activity, followed by linalool, phytol and trans-nerolidol, while limonene appeared to have no effect.

An important first step

Dr Andrea Small-Howard, president, chief science officer, and director of Gb Sciences, commented on the findings: “We believe that this is the first demonstration of the anti-inflammatory potential of some very potent minor cannabinoids and terpenes derived from cannabis.

“The identification of cell type-specific immune modulating effects by different individual cannabinoids and terpenes was an important first step in designing our novel anti-inflammatory therapies. 

“The results from our second study on the anti-inflammatory effects of proprietary mixtures of these ingredients will be published subsequently with our collaborators at Michigan State University and Chaminade University.”

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