Cannabis Extracts Outperformed Individual Cannabinoids in Reducing Gut Inflammation in Lab Cells | Research

The takeaway

Standardized cannabis extracts containing CBD and CBG were more effective at reducing intestinal inflammation and restoring gut barrier integrity than individual cannabinoids alone in a cell model.

People with inflammatory bowel disease interested in cannabis research and researchers studying the entourage effect.

CBG reduced NF-kB activity by 66%

What the researchers found

Cannabis extracts standardized for CBD and CBG content inhibited pro-inflammatory chemokines (CXCL-9, CXCL-10, CCL-20) in inflammation-stimulated intestinal cells. Critically, the whole extracts showed greater effect than individual cannabinoids at equivalent concentrations in a co-culture inflammation model, partially recovering epithelial barrier integrity measured by TEER and ZO-1 expression.

Why it matters

IBD patients increasingly report using cannabis, but clinical trial evidence is limited. This study supports the "entourage effect" hypothesis for gut inflammation, showing that the complex mix of compounds in cannabis extracts may be more effective than isolated CBD or CBG, and identifies specific anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

The numbers in context

Extracts tested at 100 micrograms/mL, individual compounds at 8 micromolar. NF-kB impairment: -42% (CBD) and -66% (CBG). Extract A abrogated CCL-20 release; Extract B abrogated CXCL-9 and CXCL-10 release. Barrier integrity partially recovered in co-culture model with extracts but not individual cannabinoids.

How the study worked

Researchers tested two cannabis extracts (different extraction solvents, same CBD/CBG standardization) and individual cannabinoids on CaCo-2 intestinal cells stimulated with IL-1beta and IFN-gamma. The extracts underwent simulated digestion before testing. A CaCo-2/THP-1 co-culture model assessed barrier function. NF-kB activity was measured to determine mechanism.

What this study cannot tell us

In vitro cell model does not replicate the full complexity of IBD in living patients. Simulated digestion approximates but does not perfectly match human gastrointestinal processing. The specific extracts tested may not represent commercially available products.

How to read the evidence

Well-designed in vitro study with relevant intestinal cell models and simulated digestion, but findings require validation in animal models and human trials.

When this study was published

Published in 2025.

The bigger picture

The observation that extraction method influences which inflammatory pathways are targeted (Extract A vs. B had different effects despite the same CBD/CBG content) highlights the importance of standardization in cannabis-based medicine. Different extraction methods may yield products with different therapeutic profiles.

Questions still open

Which extraction method would be optimal for IBD treatment? Could standardized cannabis extracts move to clinical trials for inflammatory bowel disease?

Common questions

What is CBG?

Cannabigerol (CBG) is a minor cannabinoid found in cannabis. Often called the "mother cannabinoid," it is the precursor from which other cannabinoids are synthesized in the plant. It has shown anti-inflammatory properties in several studies.

What is the entourage effect?

The idea that the full spectrum of compounds in cannabis (cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids) may work together more effectively than isolated individual compounds. This study provides some support for this concept in the context of gut inflammation.

Read the original research

Efficacy of non-psychotropic Cannabis sativa L. standardized extracts in a model of intestinal inflammation.

Journal of cannabis research, 7(1), 74

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Maranta, Nicole; Martinelli, Giulia; Fumagalli, Marco; Pozzoli, Carola; Sonzogni, Elisa; Rossini, Nora; Ciriello, Umberto; Paladino, Giuseppe; Dell'Agli, Mario; Piazza, Stefano; Sangiovanni, Enrico. (2025). Efficacy of non-psychotropic Cannabis sativa L. standardized extracts in a model of intestinal inflammation.. Journal of cannabis research, 7(1), 74. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-025-00335-2