Medical
Study Suggests Cannabis May Help Heal Fractures
Cannabis may have the power to heal broken bones and other skeletal conditions, according to a team of Israeli scientists.
Researchers from the Tel Aviv University and Hebrew University recently published a paper in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, which suggests that one of the primary components of the cannabis plant has the ability to expedite the mending of fractures to the skeletal system. The study found that cannabidiol, the non-psychoactive compound of marijuana, proved effective at healing mid-femoral fractures in rats in a series of trials.
Although tests were conducted using both cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychotropic cannabinoid that produces the high effects, the results were the same once THC was removed from the equation – proving CBD the real hero of the hour when it comes to bone strength.
“We found that CBD alone makes bones stronger during healing, enhancing maturation of the collagenous matrix, which provides the basis for new mineralization of bone tissue,” said lead study author Dr. Yankel Gabet of Tel Aviv’s Bone Research Laboratory. “After being treated with CBD, the healed bone will be harder to break in the future.”
These findings are not supernatural, according to Gabet, who says the human body is engineered to have a positive response to cannabinoids – and the skeletal system is no exception. When compounds from the cannabis plant are introduced to the brain, the bones reap the benefits, he explained.
“The clinical potential of cannabinoid-related compounds is simply undeniable at this point,” said Gabet. “While there is still work to be done to develop appropriate therapies, it is clear that it’s possible to detach a clinical therapy objective from the psychoactivity of cannabis.”
While cannabis is now starting to be considered an effective treatment option for a variety of illnesses and conditions, researchers hope their latest work will allow CBD to soon be used on patients suffering from osteoporosis and a variety of bone diseases.
Have you used cannabis to treat your symptoms? Share your experiences in the comments.
