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Mallick K, Khan MF, Banerjee S. The anxiolytic effects of cannabinoids: A comprehensive review. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2024; 243:173828. [PMID: 39032530 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2024.173828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Cannabinoids, notably cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), have emerged as promising candidates for anxiety disorder treatment, supported by both preclinical and clinical evidence. CBD exhibits notable anxiolytic effects with a favourable safety profile, though concerns regarding mild side effects and drug interactions remain. Conversely, THC, the primary psychoactive compound, presents a range of side effects, underscoring the importance of careful dosage management and individualized treatment strategies. So far there are no FDA approved cannabinoid medications for anxiety. The review highlights challenges in cannabinoid research, including dosage variability, variable preclinical data, and limited long-term data. Despite these limitations, cannabinoids represent a promising avenue for anxiety management, with the potential for further optimization in formulation, dosing protocols, and consideration of interactions with conventional therapies. Addressing these challenges could pave the way for novel and personalized approaches to treating anxiety disorders using cannabinoid-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keya Mallick
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Mohd Faiz Khan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Sugato Banerjee
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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Li Z, Mukherjee D, Duric B, Austin-Zimmerman I, Trotta G, Spinazzola E, Quattrone D, Murray RM, Di Forti M. Systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of chronic peri-adolescent cannabinoid exposure on schizophrenia-like behaviour in rodents. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02668-5. [PMID: 39090371 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02668-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The link between cannabis use and schizophrenia is well-established in epidemiological studies, especially among adolescents with early-onset use. However, this association in rodent models is less clear. This meta-analysis examined the effects of adolescent cannabinoid exposure on distinct schizophrenia-like behaviours in rodents and how experimental variations influence outcomes. METHODS Following a pre-registered protocol (CRD42022338761), we searched PubMed, Ovid Medline, Embse and APA PsychInfo for English-language original studies until May 2024. We synthesised data from experiments on schizophrenia-like behaviour in rats and mice after repeated peri-pubertal (onset between P23-P45) cannabinoid exposure. Risk of bias was assessed using the SYRCLE's tool. RESULTS We included 359 experiments from 108 articles across 9 behavioural tests. We found meta-analytic evidence supporting that CB1R agonists, both natural and synthetic, elicited broad schizophrenia-like behavioural alterations, including impaired working memory [g = -0.56; (CI: -0.93, -0.18)], novel object recognition [g = -0.66; (CI: -0.97, -0.35)], novel object location recognition [g = -0.70; (CI: -1.07, -0.33]), social novelty preference [g = -0.52; (CI: -0.93, -0.11)], social motivation [g = -0.21; (CI: -0.42, -0.00)], pre-pulse inhibition [g = -0.43; (CI: -0.76, -0.10)], and sucrose preference [g = -0.87; (CI: -1.46, -0.27)]. By contrast, effects on novelty-induced locomotion were negligible. Subgroup analyses revealed similar effects across sexes and species. Substantial variance in the protocols and moderate-to-high heterogeneity in behavioural outcomes were observed. We found CBD may enhance fear memory recall, but data was limited. DISCUSSION This is the first meta-analysis to comprehensively assess the link between cannabinoids and schizophrenia-like behaviours in rodents. Our results support epidemiological links between early cannabis use and schizophrenia-like phenotypes, confirming the utility of animal models. Standardising protocols will optimise models to strengthen reproducibility and comparisons, our work provides a framework for refining rodent models to elucidate biological pathways linking cannabis and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhikun Li
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Diptendu Mukherjee
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Bea Duric
- GKT School of Medical Education, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Isabelle Austin-Zimmerman
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Giulia Trotta
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Mental Health Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Edoardo Spinazzola
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Mental Health Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Diego Quattrone
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Mental Health Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Robin M Murray
- South London and Maudsley NHS Mental Health Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Marta Di Forti
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
- South London and Maudsley NHS Mental Health Foundation Trust, London, UK.
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, London, UK.
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Dragon J, Obuchowicz E. How depression and antidepressant drugs affect endocannabinoid system?-review of clinical and preclinical studies. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 397:4511-4536. [PMID: 38280009 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02938-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
As major depressive disorder is becoming a more and more common issue in modern society, it is crucial to discover new possible grip points for its diagnosis and antidepressive therapy. One of them is endocannabinoid system, which has been proposed as a manager of emotional homeostasis, and thus, endocannabinoid alterations have been found in animals undergoing various preclinical models of depression procedures as well as in humans suffering from depressive-like disorders. In this review article, studies regarding those alterations have been summed up and analyzed. Another important issue raised by the researchers is the impact of currently used antidepressive drugs on endocannabinoid system so that it would be possible to predict reversibility of endocannabinoid alterations following stress exposure and, in the future, to be able to design individually personalized therapies. Preclinical studies investigating this topic have been analyzed and described in this article. Unfortunately, too few clinical studies in this field exist, what indicates an urgent need for collecting such data, so that it would be possible to compare them with preclinical outcomes and draw reliable conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonasz Dragon
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków Street 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland.
| | - Ewa Obuchowicz
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków Street 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
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Alasmari MS, Almohammed OA, Hammad AM, Altulayhi KA, Alkadi BK, Alasmari AF, Alqahtani F, Sari Y, Alasmari F. Effects of Beta Lactams on Behavioral Outcomes of Substance Use Disorders: A Meta-Analysis of Preclinical Studies. Neuroscience 2024; 537:58-83. [PMID: 38036059 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Preclinical studies demonstrated that beta-lactams have neuroprotective effects in conditions involving glutamate neuroexcitotoxicity, including substance use disorders (SUDs). This meta-analysis aims to analyze the existing evidences on the effects of beta-lactams as glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1) upregulators in animal models of SUDs, identification of gaps in the literature, and setting the stage for potential translation into clinical phases. METHODS Meta-analysis was conducted on preclinical studies retrieved systematically from MEDLINE and ScienceDirect databases. Abused substances were identified by refereeing to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The results were quantitatively described with a focus on the behavioral outcomes. Treatment effect sizes were described using standardized mean difference, and they were pooled using random effect model. I2-statistic was used to assess heterogeneity, and Funnel plot and Egger's test were used for assessment of publication bias. RESULTS Literature search yielded a total of 71 studies that were eligible to be included in the analysis. Through these studies, the effects of beta-lactams were evaluated in animal models of nicotine, cannabis, amphetamines, synthetic cathinone, opioids, ethanol, and cocaine use disorders as well as steroids-related aggressive behaviors. Meta-analysis showed that treatments with beta-lactams consistently reduced the pooled undesired effects of the abused substances in several paradigms, including drug-self administration, conditioned place preference, drug seeking behaviors, hyperlocomotion, withdrawal syndromes, tolerance to analgesic effects, hyperalgesia, and hyperthermia. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis revealed that enhancing GLT-1 expression in the brain through beta-lactams seemed to be a promising treatment approach in the context of substance use disorders, as indicated by results in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed S Alasmari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Omar A Almohammed
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alaa M Hammad
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman 11733, Jordan
| | - Khalid A Altulayhi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bader K Alkadi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah F Alasmari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faleh Alqahtani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Youssef Sari
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Fawaz Alasmari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
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