Berlin, Germany: The adjunctive use of oral cannabis extracts is associated with reduced pain and improved quality of life in women diagnosed with endometriosis, according to observational data published in the journal PLOS One.
German investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of cannabis extracts containing nearly equal percentages of THC and CBD in 27 women with endometriosis. (Authorized medical cannabis preparations are available by prescription in Germany.) Study participants were administered the extracts twice daily for 30 days in conjunction with their standard medications.
Cannabis treatment was associated with significant decreases in patients’ pain intensity and pain frequency, as well as reductions in participants’ reliance on prescription analgesics – findings that are consistent with other observational studies.
Study participants also experienced improvements in their emotional well-being, fatigue, anxiety, daily functionality, and overall quality of life.
“This prospective, observational study demonstrates that oral CBMPs [cannabinoid-based medicinal products] are associated with clinically meaningful improvements in pain intensity, frequency, and analgesic use in women with endometriosis,” researchers reported. “Over three months, participants experienced not only reductions in pelvic pain but also improvements in fatigue, anxiety, central sensitization, and functional/pain disability, highlighting the potential of cannabinoids to address both nociceptive and neuropsychological dimensions of endometriosis.”
They concluded: “Oral CBMPs with balanced THC: CBD ratios seem to be a safe and potentially effective adjunct therapy for chronic pelvic pain and related symptoms in women with endometriosis. … These findings establish a basis for future controlled studies to refine dosing, investigate mechanisms, and assess long-term outcomes in this complex patient group.”
Endometriosis patients prescribed medical cannabis products in the United Kingdom and New Zealand similarly report that they experience sustained symptomatic relief. In surveys, patients with endometriosis frequently acknowledge cannabis to be more effective at treating their symptoms than traditional pharmaceuticals.
Full text of the study, “Evaluating the impact of cannabinoid extracts on chronic pain and quality of life in endometriosis patients: A pilot study,” appears in PLOS One.