On October 10 and 11, the University of Messina hosted a single-topic conference, “Medical Use of Cannabis and Pharmacology of the Endocannabinoid System,” organized by the Italian Society of Pharmacology and dedicated to scientific and clinical developments related to the therapeutic use of cannabis. Researchers and professionals deepened their knowledge of the endocannabinoid system and the use of cannabis derivatives in the treatment of chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, certain forms of epilepsy, and as antiemetics. The meeting offered an updated overview of the potential and risks of cannabinoids, with discussions among experts, clinicians, and institutions aimed at promoting informed, evidence-based use.
The Laboratory of Pharmacognosy was also present at the conference. Professor Mario dell’Agli, along with Professor Lara Testai (University of Pisa), moderated the keynote lecture session “Implication of the endocannabinoidome-gut microbiota interplay in neurological and skeletal muscle disorders,” given by Fabio Arturo Iannotti of the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (ICB), National Research Council (CNR), Pozzuoli (Naples).
As part of the session “The Endocannabinoid System and Inflammation,” Dr. Giulia Martinelli presented the results of research conducted in the Pharmacognosy Laboratory. The study aimed to study the role of two cannabis extracts and the pure cannabinoid molecules CBD and CBG in improving inflammation and restoring the epithelial barrier in an in vitro model of intestinal inflammation. The study was supported by the Swiss company Linnea, which provided the cannabis extracts and molecules under study.
The research results demonstrated the ability of CBD/CBG-enriched cannabis extracts to reduce the release of intestinal inflammatory markers such as cytokines CXCL10, CCL20, and CXCL9 and to improve epithelial barrier function. Consistent with previous studies, it is noteworthy that the cannabis phytocomplex is more active than the individual components: the so-called entourage effect is increasingly evident, indicating the synergy and interaction of other classes of molecules present in addition to cannabinoids in the pharmacological activities studied. Interestingly, the extraction method of the plant matrix can influence biological activity, even when CBD and CBG are standardized to the same level, demonstrating the importance of standardization and extraction method for determining the phytocomplex and its biological activity.
These findings, together with growing evidence of the non-psychotropic potential of C. sativa, highlight the potential of using these extracts as a novel strategy for managing intestinal inflammation.
At this link the work on Cannabis published in the Journal of Cannabis Research: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41053843/
