In a three-way crossover study of 12 healthy volunteers, oral CBD had significantly higher blood levels when dissolved in sesame oil or nano-emulsion compared to powder form, with nano-emulsion providing more consistent absorption.
CBD product formulators, pharmacologists, and clinicians prescribing oral CBD.
Nano-emulsion produced uniform early absorption vs. variable oil absorption
What the researchers found
CBD in lipid-based vehicles (oil and nano-emulsion) significantly increased both peak blood levels and total exposure compared to powder. While overall exposure was similar between oil and nano-emulsion, oil produced variable absorption (some early, some delayed) while nano-emulsion consistently produced early absorption.
Why it matters
CBD's poor oral bioavailability is a major clinical challenge. This study shows that formulation dramatically affects absorption, explaining why CBD dosing recommendations vary widely and why clinical trial results have been inconsistent.
The numbers in context
12 healthy male volunteers. Lipid-based vehicles significantly increased Cmax and AUC vs. powder. Sesame oil caused two absorption patterns among subjects; SNEDDS produced uniform early absorption.
How the study worked
Three-way, blind, crossover single-dose study in 12 healthy male volunteers. Synthetic CBD was administered as powder, dissolved in sesame oil, or in a self-nano-emulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS).
What this study cannot tell us
Small sample (12 volunteers), all male. Single-dose study does not capture steady-state pharmacokinetics. Synthetic CBD was used rather than plant-derived CBD. Only one dose level was tested.
How to read the evidence
Moderate: crossover design controls for individual variation, though limited by small sample and single dose.
When this study was published
Published in 2020 in European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics.
The bigger picture
The inconsistent absorption from oil formulations (some subjects absorbed early, others late) highlights why the same CBD dose can produce very different effects in different people, and why standardized formulations are needed.
Questions still open
- Would nano-emulsion formulations improve clinical CBD trial outcomes by reducing pharmacokinetic variability? Does the absorption pattern affect therapeutic efficacy? Would similar results be seen with plant-derived CBD?
Common questions
Does it matter how I take CBD?
What is a nano-emulsion?
Read the original research
Pharmacokinetic investigation of synthetic cannabidiol oral formulations in healthy volunteers.
European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics : official journal of Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Pharmazeutische Verfahrenstechnik e.V, 154, 108-115
Citation
Izgelov, Dvora; Davidson, Elyad; Barasch, Dinorah; Regev, Aviva; Domb, Abraham J; Hoffman, Amnon. (2020). Pharmacokinetic investigation of synthetic cannabidiol oral formulations in healthy volunteers.. European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics : official journal of Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Pharmazeutische Verfahrenstechnik e.V, 154, 108-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2020.06.021
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