MEDICAL CANNABIS 35
Cannabidiol and Negative
Allosteric Modulators
Cannabidiol (CBD) is another molecule in the same cannabinoid group as THC. It may hold promise for treating cannabis overdose. I know it sounds funny at first – treating cannabis overdose with more cannabinoids.
CBD is a weak antagonist and negative allosteric modulator (or NAM) of THC at the CB1 receptor. What this means is that CBD can “turn down the volume” on THC activation of the CB1 receptor without directly blocking THC from binding the CB1 receptor.
My analysis of studies that combined THC and CBD showed that CBD does not block the actual high of THC. However, it can help with certain side effects such as anxiety and paranoia.
In fact, a company called CannaSafety has filed a patent for the treatment of cannabis overdose with a formulation containing CBD. They have launched this as a commercial product, although CBD is also available from many different sources.
The advantages of CBD are that it is safe, widely available, and arguably legal. Absorption may be relatively slow if taken orally, which could be tough for people who need immediate relief. However, there is also the option to vaporize CBD oil, which can provide a very rapid effect.
Synthetic NAMs of the CB1 receptor have been created, but so far none have advanced to testing in humans.