Could Cannabis Treat Psoriasis? Early Theoretical Evidence | Research

The takeaway

A brief review proposed that cannabinoids may have potential for treating psoriasis based on the endocannabinoid system's involvement in immune regulation and its interaction with the nervous system through anti-inflammatory pathways.

People with psoriasis curious about cannabinoid-based treatments and dermatology researchers.

Theoretical basis proposed for cannabinoids in psoriasis through immune-nervous system crosstalk

What the researchers found

This brief review proposed a theoretical basis for using cannabinoids to treat psoriasis, a common skin disorder characterized by excessive skin cell proliferation.

The authors noted that psoriasis involves an interaction between the immune system and the nervous system through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. The endocannabinoid system intersects with both of these systems, suggesting cannabinoids could potentially modulate the inflammatory process driving psoriasis.

The review was largely theoretical, positioning cannabinoids as a "potential addition to antipsoriatic armamentarium" based on known anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties.

Why it matters

Psoriasis affects millions of people and current treatments have significant limitations. While this review is theoretical, it identified a biologically plausible pathway through which cannabinoids might help, providing a rationale for future research.

The numbers in context

No clinical data were presented. The review was based on theoretical pharmacological reasoning.

How the study worked

Brief literature review published in Current Clinical Pharmacology, proposing a theoretical rationale for cannabinoid use in psoriasis based on known pharmacological pathways.

What this study cannot tell us

This was a brief, theoretical review with no clinical data. The proposed mechanism is plausible but unproven. No dosing, formulation, or route of administration was suggested. The review did not address potential adverse effects of cannabinoid use in psoriasis patients.

How to read the evidence

This is a brief theoretical review with no clinical evidence. It provides a rationale for research but no data on efficacy.

When this study was published

Published in 2016. Some additional research on cannabinoids and skin conditions has emerged since then.

The bigger picture

Interest in cannabinoids for skin conditions has grown, with topical CBD products increasingly marketed for inflammatory skin conditions. This review represents an early theoretical framework for investigating cannabinoids in psoriasis.

Questions still open

Would topical cannabinoids be effective for psoriasis? Which cannabinoid compounds (THC, CBD, others) might be most relevant for skin inflammation?

Common questions

Can cannabis treat psoriasis?

There is no clinical evidence yet. This review proposed a theoretical pathway through which cannabinoids might modulate the inflammation driving psoriasis, but no clinical trials had been conducted at the time. Some topical CBD products are marketed for skin conditions, but rigorous clinical data are lacking.

How might cannabinoids help with psoriasis?

The proposed mechanism involves the endocannabinoid system's ability to modulate both immune responses and nerve signaling in the skin. Since psoriasis involves overactive immune-nervous system interaction, cannabinoids that can dampen this interaction could theoretically reduce skin inflammation.

Read the original research

Cannabis for Refractory Psoriasis-High Hopes for a Novel Treatment and a Literature Review.

Current clinical pharmacology, 11(2), 146-7

View on PubMed ↗

Citation

Derakhshan, Nima; Kazemi, Mahboubeh. (2016). Cannabis for Refractory Psoriasis-High Hopes for a Novel Treatment and a Literature Review.. Current clinical pharmacology, 11(2), 146-7.