PTSD Article

Cannabidiol in the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Series

Source: 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Link: 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6482919/

Article Summary:
This study explores the potential therapeutic benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in adults, marking the first clinical investigation of its kind. CBD, a non-psychotomimetic cannabinoid compound found in Cannabis plants, was administered orally alongside standard psychiatric care to 11 patients over an 8-week period in an outpatient psychiatry clinic. PTSD symptom severity was assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) at regular intervals.  Results indicated that 91% of patients experienced a reduction in PTSD symptom severity, with the mean PCL-5 score decreasing by 28% from baseline to the end of the study. CBD was generally well-tolerated, with minimal side effects reported. Notably, CBD appeared to alleviate nightmares in a subset of patients.  Limitations included the study’s retrospective, open-label design without a placebo or control group, varying CBD dosages and forms, small sample size (11 patients), and significant attrition over time. Further randomized, controlled trials are recommended to confirm these findings and explore optimal dosing and CBD’s potential mechanism of action in PTSD treatment.  This case series suggests that adjunctive oral CBD may be beneficial in reducing PTSD symptoms when combined with routine psychiatric care. Despite study limitations, the findings highlight the need for further rigorous clinical investigation to validate CBD’s efficacy and safety profile for PTSD management.