Newcastle, United Kingdom: Cannabis and cannabinoids may have a role in the treatment of bipolar affective disorder, according to a review published in the May issue of the Journal of Psychopharmacology.
A research team from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne wrote: “Bipolar affective disorder is often poorly controlled by prescribed drugs. Cannabis use is common in patients with this disorder and anecdotal reports suggest that some patients take it to alleviate symptoms of both mania and depression.”
They continued: “The cannabinoids Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) may exert sedative, hypnotic, anxiolytic, antidepressant, antipsychotic and anticonvulsant effects. Pure synthetic cannabinoids, such as Dronabinol and Nabilone and specific plant extracts containing THC, CBD, or a mixture of the two in known concentrations, are available and can be delivered sublingually. Controlled trials of these cannabinoids as adjunctive medication in bipolar disorder are now indicated.”
For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at (202) 483-5500. Full text of the study, “Cannabinoids in bipolar affective disorder: a review and discussion of their therapeutic potential,” appears in the May issue of the Journal of Psychopharmacology.