Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Affecting millions of Americans, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of chronic inflammatory lung diseases that obstruct airflow from the lungs and make it difficult to breathe. The term COPD typically includes two main progressive lung conditions – emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
While there’s no cure for the disease as of yet, treatments and lifestyle changes can help slow the progress of the disease and relieve symptoms. Evidence suggests that cannabinoids, specifically cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), have anti-inflammatory properties that may potentially help treat COPD.
One study found CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties to help in the recovery of acute lung injury.
Cannabinoids have also shown to have bronchodilatory effects, which helps to open up the airways to improve airflow to the lungs.
Activating cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) helps dilate bronchial tubes by inhibiting contraction of the smooth muscle surrounding the lungs.
While evidence suggests Cannabinoids may be helpful for those with COPD, it’s important to note that smokable CBD products are likely not the best method of consumption. Smoking CBD Flowers can cause irritants to enter the lungs and may increase the prevalence of acute and chronic bronchitis.
Those with COPD should use more lung-friendly CBD products, such as CBD oils or CBD edibles.
COPD Studies
- β-Caryophyllene Inhibits Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis in Mice through CB2 Receptor Activation and PPARγ Pathway
- * Acute effects of smoked marijuana and oral delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol on specific airway conductance in asthmatic subjects
- * Beneficial effects of cannabinoids (CB) in a murine model of allergen-induced airway inflammation: role of CB1/CB2 receptors
- Bronchodilator Effect of Δ1-Tetrahydrocannabinol
- Cannabidiol improves lung function and inflammation in mice submitted to LPS-induced acute lung injury
- Cannabinoid effects on ventilation and breathlessness: a pilot study of efficacy and safety
- Cannabinoids, endocannabinoids, and related analogs in inflammation
- Cannabinoids inhibit cholinergic contraction in human airways through prejunctional CB1 receptors
- Cannabinoids Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol Differentially Inhibit the Lipopolysaccharide-activated NF-κB and Interferon-β/STAT Proinflammatory Pathways in BV-2 Microglial Cells
- Cannabidiol, a non-psychotropic plant-derived cannabinoid, decreases inflammation in a murine model of acute lung injury: a role for the adenosine A(2A) receptor
- * Cannabidiol improves lung function and inflammation in mice submitted to LPS-induced acute lung injury
- * CB2 receptors regulate natural killer cells that limit allergic airway inflammation in a murine model of asthma
- Effects of cannabis on pulmonary structure, function, and symptoms
- Impact of cannabis, cannabinoids, and endocannabinoids in the lungs
- Inhibition of guinea-pig and human sensory nerve activity and the cough reflex in guinea-pigs by cannabinoid (CB2) receptor activation
- Marijuana and chronic obstructive lung disease: a population-based study
- Monoacylglycerol Lipase (MAGL) Inhibition Attenuates Acute Lung Injury in Mice
- * Preclinical assessment of novel therapeutics on the cough reflex: cannabinoid agonists as potential antitussives