Scientific Research into Medicinal Cannabis – Nausea

Nausea and vomiting are common signs and symptoms that can be caused by numerous conditions. Nausea and vomiting most often are due to viral gastroenteritis but can be a common side effect of other drug treatments or be a symptom of a more serious disease.

We have listed the latest scientific research into medicinal cannabis and it’s potential uses in treating nausea and vomiting

• Regulation of nausea and vomiting by cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system
• CBD, a non-psychotropic component of cannabis, attenuates vomiting and nausea-like behaviour via indirect agonism of 5-HT(1A) somatodendritic autoreceptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus
• Cannabidiolic acid prevents vomiting in Suncus murinus and nausea-induced behaviour in rats by enhancing 5-HT1Areceptor activation
• Interaction between non-psychotropic cannabinoids in marihuana: effect of cannabigerol (CBG) on the anti-nausea or anti-emetic effects of cannabidiol (CBD) in rats and shrews
• Regulation of nausea and vomiting by cannabinoids
• CBD: its synthetic dimethylheptyl homolog suppress nausea in an experimental model with rats
• Preliminary efficacy and safety of an oromucosal standardized cannabis extract in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
• Effect of combined oral doses of THC & CBDA on acute and anticipatory nausea in rat models

CINV – Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting

This isn’t just regular nausea–chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is severe and usually occurs right away, with a peak window of 6-24+ hours after treatment.

Traditional pharmaceuticals are used as anti-nausea (anti-emetic) therapies to prevent or minimize CINV. Dexamethasone, a corticosteroid prescribed for inflammatory conditions, is most commonly prescribed; as it turns out, it is also very effective in treating CINV. Serotonin receptor agonists called 5-HT3 (ondansetron, palonosetron, and aprepitant) have been effective when used with dexamethasone. Even antihistamines, antidepressants and anticonvulsants have been tried.

Many chemotherapy patients don’t respond to traditional drugs and report that they can leave them feeling more drugged, more lethargic, and even delusional.

Cannabinoids have shown success in treating the symptoms of CINV. Two medicines, nabilone  and dronabinol, are orally-administered synthetic cannabinoids. The two are slightly different variations of delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinol (Δ9-THC), which naturally occurs in a cannabis plant. Dronabinol is marketed as Marinol from the US-based Banner Pharmacaps, and nabilone is sold as Cesamet by the Canadian company Valeant Pharmaceuticals International. Both are available in oral and inhaled solutions, and both have been approved for treatment of CINV.