Abstract
Products derived from the plant Cannabis sativa are widely appreciated for their analgesic properties and are employed for the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain. Only nabiximols, a product composed of two extracts containing similar percentages of the two cannabinoids cannabidiol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is approved by regulatory authorities for neuropathic pain and spasticity due to multiple sclerosis in many European countries and Canada. It is also included in pharmacovigilance systems monitoring the occurrence of adverse drug reactions. However, it is not the same for the great variety of other cannabis preparations widely used for medical purposes. This creates a situation characterized by insufficient knowledge of the safety of cannabis preparations and the impossibility of establishing a correct risk–benefit profile for their medical use in the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain. With the aim to explore this issue more deeply, we collected data on adverse reactions from published clinical studies reporting the use of cannabis for neuropathic relief.
Highlights
Chronic pain is a common condition characterized by pain that lasts 12 weeks or more
The following types of scientific articles were excluded: case series, case reports, and animal studies; publications that made no reference to adverse effects (AEs); publications not written in the English language; studies investigating only THC or CBD individually; studies carried out using nabiximols or oromucosal/sublingual spray preparations; studies based on oncological patients; studies using co-administration of cannabis and opioids; and studies based on recreational cannabis use (Figure 1)
With reference to adverse events, all three active treatments were associated with AEs related to the inhalation of cannabis, and the most common were drug high, dizziness, and nausea
Summary
Chronic pain is a common condition characterized by pain that lasts 12 weeks or more. One in five adults in Europe, or 75 million people, suffer moderate to severe pain [1]. There are three main types of pain: neuropathic, nociceptive, and nociplastic. Nociceptive pain derives from activity in neural pathways, secondary to actual tissue damage or potentially tissue-damaging stimuli. Neuropathic pain originates from lesions or dysfunction of the central or peripheral nervous system [2]. Nociplastic pain arises from altered nociception, despite no clear evidence of actual or threatened tissue damage causing the activation of peripheral nociceptors, or no evidence of disease or lesion of the somatosensory system causing the pain [3]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
