Cannabinoids to Treat Acute Pain: Study

There is low-quality evidence indicating that cannabinoids may be a safe alternative for a small but significant decline in subjective pain score when treating acute pain, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

The article entitled "Cannabinoids in the Management of Acute Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis" was coauthored by Herman Johal, MD, MPH, Ph.D., McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada and colleagues from McMaster University and Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay.

‘The usefulness of cannabis-derived medicines in the treatment of pain, both acute and chronic, is still vigorously debated.’

The researchers included six trials in their study, five using oral cannabinoids, and one using intramuscular cannabinoids. They reported a significant difference in effect size between the oral and nonoral routes of administration, with intramuscular cannabinoids yielding a significant reduction in pain relative to placebo. There was no difference in effect between oral cannabinoids and placebo.

Editor-in-Chief Daniele Piomelli, Ph.D. University of California-Irvine, School of Medicine, states: "The meta-analysis conducted in this study reinforces the need for more rigorous studies to assess whether cannabis might be effective in the treatment of acute pain conditions."

Source: Eurekalert