Autoimmune reactions are difficult to treat
With an autoimmune disease the immune system is directed against its own tissue. This is due to the insufficiently functioning self-tolerance that normally protects the body. Instead, the immune system incorrectly identifies its own organism as a foreign body. The T-lymphocytes, which belong to the white blood cells, are no longer able to differentiate between foreign and endogenous protein molecules due to the defective function. As a result of these faulty reactions, the affected tissue becomes chronically inflamed. This causes, for example, chronic inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes or Rheumatoid arthritis.
To treat these and similar immune diseases, doctors mainly use anti-inflammatory cortisone or immunosuppressants. From a medical point of view, the remedies are not without controversy since they have many possible side effects. Overall, patients are more sensitive to infections and other diseases due to the permanently suppressed immune system. Another problematic aspect arises from the high costs that have to be paid for the treatment. The real cause of the diseases – the unbalanced immune system – cannot cure drug therapy.
Therefore, as studies have shown, the non-psychoactive cannabidiol CBD could be an alternative treatment approach. Its anti-inflammatory effects could help to balance the body’s immune system.
Studies on how CBD works in autoimmune diseases
In contrast to medical cannabis, the CBD has only a low psychoactive effect. Nevertheless, the risk-free CBD, as studies suggest, should help against many of the more than 80 known autoimmune diseases. More recently, scientists have been studying the effects of cannabidiol on autoimmune heart muscle inflammation. As has been shown, cardiac function improved, while the inflammatory response decreased. The investigations carried out so far have proven to be particularly effective well tolerated CBD oil. There are indications that the drops have an antispasmodic effect and alleviate numerous symptoms. To this day, research continues to recognize a mood-enhancing effect that, for example, improves depressive states due to the autoimmune disease.
The further studies that investigate a connection between cannabinoids and autoimmune reactions are also interesting. In the past 25 years, researchers have attempted to run a number of experimental models. This included giving cannabinoids to laboratory animals. Scientists also tried to investigate the effects of cannabinoids on immune cell cultures. Some of these studies concluded that cannabinoids could modulate the functioning of B and T lymphocytes. Other reports suggest similar modes of action: modulating host resistance, particularly in secondary immune responses.
Further research by Yoonkyung Do in 2016 showed how CBD or THC help with multiple sclerosis. Patients would benefit from the programmed cell death of so-called dendritic cells. These in turn are significantly involved in the triggering autoantigens that cause autoimmunity. In the future, these findings could be groundbreaking to counter autoimmune diseases.
CBD’s therapeutic role in arthritis and type 1 diabetes mellitus
Rheumatoid arthritis is known as the most common inflammatory joint disease. On average, one in 100 adults in Germany suffer from this form of rheumatism. To date, it has not been scientifically clarified which factors trigger the disease. However, it is conceivable that the disease breaks out through genetic factors or through strains of viruses or bacteria. The inflammatory process taking place in the joint is better researched. Here too, the immune system cells erroneously attack their own tissue. As a result, the joints swell and cause a pronounced morning stiffness where the well known Rosehip powder should help. If left untreated, the disease progresses and, in addition to large joints, also ignites other organs such as the heart, lungs or eyes.
Medications previously administered – such as cortisone or biologics used later – are not free from side effects. While biologics cause infections relatively often, cortisone can increase appetite or disrupt sugar metabolism. CBD oil could complement these treatment options will become increasingly important in the coming years. In contrast to conventional medication, studies report only minor to no side effects. In rare cases, patients may become tired after taking the drops or lose their appetite for a short time.
For this reason, the results suggest starting with a low dose at the start of therapeutic treatment. In the beginning, an amount of 15 milligrams of CBD, which corresponds to about three drops, could work in inflammatory reactions of the immune system. In the case of severe rheumatic courses, the dose can be increased to up to 100 milligrams.
Findings on CBD and its effects in type 1 diabetes mellitus
Similar approaches could be used when dealing with type 1 diabetes. This widespread autoimmune disease destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The body needs the insulin to produce energy in the cells through glucose. So far, doctors have not been able to find a cure for the disease. According to an experiment, hope could make the CBD. It was administered at a dose of 5 mg / kg diabetic mice daily. Over a period of ten weeks, the experiment was to show a possible mode of action of CBD on type 1 diabetes in the early stages.
Based on the results, researchers can already see promising effects: CBD-treated mice, for example, would have reduced activated leukocytes. An increased capillary density, which contributes to the development of diabetes, was also demonstrated. Another promising effect is the slow production of T cells. As researchers noted, cannabidiol can suppress the so-called immune memory. This could reduce or delay future attacks by the immune system against our own tissue.
Similar investigations were also carried out Connection between CBD and oxidative stress. The CBD’s ability to activate the CB2 receptors would reduce the harmful effects on immune cells.
CBD as an answer to autoimmune diseases?
In order to fully research the effects of the CBD on autoimmune diseases, further studies are required. However, the results are already an indication that this cannabinoid alleviates symptoms of inflammatory autoimmune diseases. It should always be borne in mind that these are preliminary results. In future, the task of research will be to increasingly confirm impacts using humanitarian studies.