Cannabis and Endometriosis: The Roles of the Gut Microbiota and the Endocannabinoid System

Endometriosis: recent advances that could accelerate diagnosis and improve care

Endometriosis is a common disorder associated with pain, gastrointestinal and urinary symptoms, infertility, and fatigue. It is defined by the presence of endometrial-like lesions found predominantly in the pelvis. Mechanisms that contribute to disease aetiology include changes in hormonal, inflammatory, and pain pathways. In this article, we focus on recent developments in imaging technologies, on our improved understanding of mechanisms contributing to infertility, on drug therapies that are in clinical trials, and on insights from studies on the gut that offer potential to support self-management strategies. We postulate that improvements in the quality of life of patients will be accelerated by reframing endometriosis as a multi-system disorder and learning from treatments targeting symptoms shared between endometriosis, neuroinflammatory, and gastrointestinal disorders.

A survey of cost, access and outcomes for cannabinoid-based medicinal product use by Australians with endometriosis

People with endometriosis use cannabis to manage their symptoms. This study aimed to identify costs, modes of administration, product composition, and self-reported effectiveness for those accessing medicinal cannabis in Australia. There were 192 survey responses analysed. Most (63.5%) used a 'cannabis clinic' doctor, incurring an initial consultation cost of $100-$200+ (10.2% Medicare bulk-billed) and median cannabinoid medicine costs of $300AUD per month. Cost was a major barrier to access, necessitating reducing dosage (76.1%) and/or consuming illicit cannabis (42.9%), despite a prescription. Most (77%) medical consumers used two or more cannabis products, with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol predominant oil and flower products most frequently prescribed.