By Michelle Jaffee
In the search for new treatment strategies to lower the dose of opioids for chronic pain, MBI researchers report promising results of an animal-model study using a combination therapy with CBD.
Published in Scientific Reports, the study showed that CBD reduced self-administration of oxycodone in rats with chronic pain while maintaining pain-relieving effects. CBD, which is short for cannabidiol, is a non-intoxicating component of cannabis.
“This suggests that CBD can be added to oxycodone treatment and that the same pain-relieving effects might be obtained with a lower dose, which may lower the risk for opioid tolerance and dependence,” said lead author Adriaan Bruijnzeel, Ph.D., a professor in UF’s Department of Psychiatry.
Bruijnzeel focuses on developing treatments for addiction to opioids, nicotine and alcohol, to decrease drug abuse and prevent relapse.
Next up in this line of research is investigating whether other nonintoxicating compounds in cannabis hold potential to reduce opioid intake or replace opioids for pain relief. The researchers will also examine the effects of such compounds on the use and withdrawal from other opioids, including fentanyl.