Cannabis and turmeric for IBD: promising but not ready to replace standard treatment
Clinical trials suggest cannabinoids may help with IBD, IBS, nausea, and motility disorders, while turmeric shows promise as an IBD add-on treatment, but neither should replace standard therapy.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Cannabinoids modulate gut motility and visceral pain and have anti-inflammatory properties. Clinical trials suggest a therapeutic role in IBD, IBS, nausea/vomiting, and GI motility disorders. Turmeric shows promise as adjuvant IBD treatment. Neither has been compared to standard IBD therapy. Reports of serious adverse effects from synthetic cannabinoids highlight safety concerns.
Key Numbers
Neither cannabis nor turmeric has been compared to standard IBD therapy. Synthetic cannabinoids have caused serious adverse effects.
How They Did This
Narrative review of the most recent studies on cannabis and turmeric for IBD and other intestinal diseases.
Why This Research Matters
Many IBD patients already use these complementary therapies. This review helps clinicians understand what the evidence actually supports versus what remains unproven.
The Bigger Picture
Complementary therapies for IBD are increasingly popular, but the gap between patient interest and clinical evidence remains wide. Cannabis may help with symptoms, but safety concerns with synthetic products add complexity.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Narrative review. Limited clinical trial data for both cannabis and turmeric in IBD. No head-to-head comparisons with standard treatments.
Questions This Raises
- ?What are the appropriate dosing and timing for cannabinoids in IBD?
- ?Could combining cannabis and turmeric provide synergistic benefits?
- ?Are there bleeding risks with synthetic cannabinoids in IBD patients?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Neither cannabis nor turmeric compared to standard IBD therapy
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate: narrative review of emerging clinical trial data, limited by small number of trials.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2019.
- Original Title:
- Cannabis and Turmeric as Complementary Treatments for IBD and Other Digestive Diseases.
- Published In:
- Current gastroenterology reports, 21(2), 2 (2019)
- Authors:
- Quezada, Sandra M, Cross, Raymond K
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02244
Evidence Hierarchy
Summarizes existing research on a topic.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can cannabis replace IBD medication?
No. This review notes that cannabis has not been compared to standard IBD treatments and should not be recommended as an alternative. It may help with symptoms alongside standard therapy.
Are synthetic cannabinoids safe for IBD?
The review highlights reports of serious adverse effects from synthetic cannabinoids, including potential bleeding complications. Natural cannabis products and synthetic ones may carry different risk profiles.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02244APA
Quezada, Sandra M; Cross, Raymond K. (2019). Cannabis and Turmeric as Complementary Treatments for IBD and Other Digestive Diseases.. Current gastroenterology reports, 21(2), 2. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11894-019-0670-0
MLA
Quezada, Sandra M, et al. "Cannabis and Turmeric as Complementary Treatments for IBD and Other Digestive Diseases.." Current gastroenterology reports, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11894-019-0670-0
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis and Turmeric as Complementary Treatments for IBD an..." RTHC-02244. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/quezada-2019-cannabis-and-turmeric-as
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.