Endocannabinoids News and Research

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Researchers discover how corticosteroids influence inflammatory response during COVID-19 infection

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a class of corticosteroids called glucocorticoids (GCs) have become established as one of the main treatment options, especially for severe cases, thanks to their anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant action.

18 May 2023

Estrogen may increase the risk of certain types of arrhythmia

The sex hormone estrogen has a negative impact on heartbeat regulation, according to an experimental study from Linköping University, Sweden, published in Science Advances.

15 Mar 2023

Study elucidates how cannabidiol reduces seizures in treatment-resistant pediatric epilepsy

A study reveals a previously unknown way in which cannabidiol (CBD), a substance found in cannabis, reduces seizures in many treatment-resistant forms of pediatric epilepsy.

13 Feb 2023

Study explores the role of endocannabinoids in hazardous drinking among young adults

Although heavy drinking in young adulthood increases the risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD), not all young heavy drinkers go on to develop AUD, globally the most common substance use disorder.

18 Jan 2023

Study reveals novel therapeutic targets for airway relaxation

Bronchial constriction is what makes many lung diseases like asthma so dangerous. Researchers have discovered a new signaling pathway that causes the airways to widen.

17 Nov 2022

Eating disorders could be treated by modulating gut microbiota

Researchers describe how the gut-brain axis facilitates communication between the gastrointestinal tract and brain to regulate food consumption behaviors.

17 Aug 2022

The effect on newborns’ health from marijuana use during pregnancy

Researchers assessed the impact of marijuana use on neonatal outcomes.

10 Jun 2022

Scientific statement highlights the uncertainty about health effects of marijuana

Despite the perception that marijuana is harmless, there is some scientific evidence challenging that belief, and there are many unanswered questions about its impact on brain health, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement published today in the Association's journal Stroke.

10 Feb 2022

Echinacea as a potential force against coronavirus infections

A new review identified clinical studies evaluating coronavirus infections in the context of Echinacea administration and assessed preventive and therapy advantages against COVID-19.

21 Jan 2022

SARS-CoV-2 patients exhibit high specialized pro-resolving molecule serum levels

In a new study, researchers compared the serum levels of bioactive lipids in a cohort of 50 in-patients who had confirmed symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection with that of a control group.

14 Dec 2021

Exercise increases endocannabinoid levels which reduce chronic inflammation

Exercise increases the body's own cannabis-like substances, which in turn helps reduce inflammation and could potentially help treat certain conditions such as arthritis, cancer and heart disease.

17 Nov 2021

Daily use of cannabidiol oil may shrink lung tumors

It may be worth exploring further the use of cannabidiol ('CBD') oil as a potential lung cancer treatment, suggest doctors in BMJ Case Reports after dealing with a daily user whose lung tumor shrank without the aid of conventional treatment.

15 Oct 2021

Link discovered between brain’s opioid system and food craving triggered by external stimuli

Brain regulation of feeding behavior traits has remained incompletely understood. In their latest study, researchers at the Turku PET Centre, Finland, discovered a connection between the function of the opioid system and food craving triggered by appetitive external stimuli.

2 Sep 2021

Understanding the risks and benefits of cannabis use among young patients

In recent years, the use of medical cannabis to treat sick kids is on the rise, although questions remain about the benefits and safety of such treatments.

21 Jun 2021

Metabolic testing of COVID-19 patients through skin imprints

There is, therefore, a great need to understand how the illness can be diagnosed using more convenient and inexpensive methods. A new study posted to the medRxiv preprint server reveals the potential role of skin imprints to test for biomarkers that indicate a diagnosis of COVID-19 in a non-invasive way.

22 Apr 2021

Cannabinoid receptor agonist shows potential protective effect on SARS-CoV-2-infected human heart cells

As scientists continue to search for effective antidotes to direct and indirect damage caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv* server demonstrates the potential of cannabinoid receptor agonists to alleviate myocardial damage in this condition even in the absence of any inhibitory effect on viral infection as such.

23 Feb 2021

Research suggests a novel mechanism for modulating emotional behavior

Research led by Si-Qiong June Liu, MD, PhD, Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, discovered a surprising reciprocal interaction between chemicals in the brain resulting in accelerated loss of molecules that regulate brain cell communication.

17 Dec 2020

Healthy gut microbiota contributes to normal brain function, study shows

Depression is a mental disorder that affects more than 264 million people of all ages worldwide. Understanding its mechanisms is vital for the development of effective therapeutic strategies.

11 Dec 2020

Maternal exposure to flame retardants causes diabetes in offspring

A new UC Riverside study shows flame retardants found in nearly every American home cause mice to give birth to offspring that become diabetic.

10 Nov 2020

Endocannabinoids in the body can help fight intestinal infections

Endocannabinoids, signaling molecules produced in the body that share features with chemicals found in marijuana, can shut down genes needed for some pathogenic intestinal bacteria to colonize, multiply, and cause disease, new research led by UT Southwestern scientists shows.

7 Oct 2020