Pharmacokinetics of Oral Cannabinoid Δ8-Tetrahydrocannabivarin and Its Main Metabolites in Healthy Participants.

Background: Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) is a phytocannabinoid commonly found in cannabis with potential pharmacological properties; however, its post-acute pharmacokinetics (PK) in humans have not been studied yet. THCV has two isomers, Δ9- and Δ8-THCV, which seem to have different pharmacological properties. We investigated the PK of the Δ8-THCV isomer after oral administration as part of a two-phase, dose-ranging, placebo-controlled trial in healthy participants.

Cancer treatment monitoring using cell-free DNA fragmentomes.

Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) assays for monitoring individuals with cancer typically rely on prior identification of tumor-specific mutations. Here, we develop a tumor-independent and mutation-independent approach (DELFI-tumor fraction, DELFI-TF) using low-coverage whole genome sequencing to determine the cfDNA tumor fraction and validate the method in two independent cohorts of patients with colorectal or lung cancer. DELFI-TF scores strongly correlate with circulating tumor DNA levels (ctDNA) (r = 0.

Examining trends in the incidence of HIV infection among people with a history of drug use to inform an outbreak investigation and response: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: In the context of an outbreak of HIV among people who inject drugs in Glasgow, Scotland, identified in 2015, our objectives were to: (1) develop epidemiological methods to estimate HIV incidence using data linkage, and (2) examine temporal changes in HIV incidence to inform public health responses.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study involving data linkage of laboratory HIV testing data to identify individuals with a history of drug use. Person-years (PY) and Poisson regression were used to estimate incidence by time period (pre-outbreak: 2000-2010 and 2011-2013; early outbreak: 2014-2016; ongoing outbreak: 2017-2019).

Testing and Treatment Interventions in Community Settings Key to Controlling a Recent Human Immunodeficiency Virus Outbreak Among People Who Inject Drugs in Glasgow: A Modeling Study.

Background: A human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) outbreak was identified among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Glasgow in 2015, with >150 diagnoses by the end of 2019. The outbreak response involved scaling up HIV testing and improving HIV treatment initiation and retention.

Methods: We parameterized and calibrated a dynamic, deterministic model of HIV transmission among PWID in Glasgow to epidemiological data.

Tetrahydrocannabivarin is Not Tetrahydrocannabinol.

Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) is a phytocannabinoid that is becoming popular across the North American cannabis market. THCV has been reported to reduce blood sugar and act as an appetite suppressant in several independent pre-clinical studies, which has earned it the popular nickname of "diet weed," despite few human studies of these effects. Additionally, THCV is usually and incorrectly categorized as an intoxicating analogue of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which causes confusion among both consumers and regulators.

LC-MS-MS quantification of Δ8-THC, Δ9-THC, THCV isomers and their main metabolites in human plasma.

In recent years, potential therapeutic applications of several different cannabinoids, such as Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), its isomer Δ8-THC and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (Δ9-THCV), have been investigated. Nevertheless, to establish dose-effect relationship and to gain knowledge of their pharmacokinetics and metabolism, sensitive and specific analytical assays are needed to measure these compounds in patients. For this reason, we developed and validated an online extraction high-performance liquid/liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/LC-MS-MS) method for the simultaneous quantification of 13 cannabinoids and metabolites including the Δ8 and Δ9 isomers of THC, THCV and those of their major metabolites in human plasma.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on HIV Test Uptake Among People Who Inject Drugs in the Context of an HIV Outbreak.

Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, has been experiencing an HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs (PWID) since 2015. A key focus of the public health response has been to increase HIV testing among those at risk of infection. Our aim was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on HIV testing among PWID in Glasgow.

Examination of the effects of cannabidiol on menstrual-related symptoms.

Some individuals attempt to alleviate menstrual-related symptoms (MRS) by using cannabis and report having expectations that cannabis can improve MRS; however, no study has examined the effect of cannabinoids on MRS. The present study is a pre-post, randomized, open-label trial that aimed to examine the effects of oral cannabidiol (CBD) isolate for alleviating MRS. Participants were assigned randomly to one of two open-label dosing groups of CBD softgels (160 mg twice a day, BID, = 17; 320 mg BID, = 16) and completed a 1-month baseline period.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeated-dose pilot study of the safety, tolerability, and preliminary effects of a cannabidiol (CBD)- and cannabigerol (CBG)-based beverage powder to support recovery from delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

Background: Cannabinoid-containing products are marketed to athletes as promoting recovery, in spite of a lack of data on their safety and effects. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeated-dose pilot study tested the safety, tolerability, and preliminary effects on recovery of a formulation containing cannabidiol (CBD; 35 mg), cannabigerol (CBG; 50 mg), beta caryophyllene (BCP; 25 mg), branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs; 3.8 g), and magnesium citrate (420 mg).

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of the safety and effects of CBN with and without CBD on sleep quality.

The present study sought to determine the effects of cannabinol (CBN) alone and in combination with cannabidiol (CBD) on sleep quality. This was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study conducted between May and November 2022. Participants were randomized to receive either (a) placebo, (b) 20 mg CBN, (c) 20 mg CBN + 10 mg CBD, (d) 20 mg CBN + 20 mg CBD, or (e) 20 mg CBN + 100 mg CBD for seven consecutive nights.

Oral Cannabidiol Treatment in Two Postmenopausal Women with Osteopenia: A Case Series.

Cannabidiol (CBD), a nonintoxicating cannabinoid, may be involved in bone remodeling, but human studies are limited. In this case series, we explored the effects of oral CBD administration on bone turnover. Two postmenopausal women with osteopenia (T-score=-1 to -2.

A Two-Phase, Dose-Ranging, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Safety and Preliminary Test of Acute Effects of Oral Δ-Tetrahydrocannabivarin in Healthy Participants.

Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) is an understudied cannabinoid that appears to have effects that vary as a function of dose. No human study has evaluated the safety and nature of effects in a wide range of THCV doses. This was a two-phase, dose-ranging, placebo-controlled trial of the Δ isomer of oral THCV in healthy adults.

Sex Differences in the Pharmacokinetics of Cannabidiol and Metabolites Following Oral Administration of a Cannabidiol-Dominant Cannabis Oil in Healthy Adults.

Oral cannabidiol (CBD) product use is increasingly growing among women; however, there is a lack of data on sex differences in the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of CBD and its primary metabolites, 7-hydroxy-CBD (7-OH-CBD) and 7-carboxy-CBD (7-COOH-CBD), after repeated doses. The present study is a secondary analysis of data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multiple-dose trial of a commercially available, CBD-dominant oral cannabis product. Healthy participants (=17 males and 15 females) were randomized to receive 120 to 480 mg of CBD daily for 7 days.

Cannabidiol Reduces Nicotine Withdrawal Severity and State Anxiety During an Acute E-cigarette Abstinence Period: A Novel, Open-Label Study.

Despite efforts to curb nicotine use, 8.1 million adults in the United States use e-cigarettes. Notably, the majority of nicotine-containing e-cigarette users report wanting to quit in the near future, yet there is a dearth of research surrounding intervention efforts.

Serum Markers of Bone Turnover Following Controlled Administration of Two Medical Cannabis Products in Healthy Adults.

Cannabidiol (CBD) has been shown to maintain bone integrity in pre-clinical models, but little is known about the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on bone turnover. In this study we explored the effects of two oral medical cannabis products on normal bone homeostasis through evaluation of markers of bone resorption (carboxyl-terminal collagen crosslinks, CTx) and bone formation (procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide, P1NP; alkaline phosphatase, ALP). This study is an analysis of secondary data from two Phase 1 double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of Spectrum Yellow (0.

Effect of very low nicotine content cigarettes on alcohol drinking and smoking among adult smokers who are at-risk alcohol drinkers.

Alcohol and tobacco use are interrelated. This study examined response to very low nicotine content (VLNC) and moderate nicotine content (MNC) cigarettes by problematic drinking. We utilized a double-blind, randomized, within-subjects crossover design of VLNC and MNC cigarettes in two groups of adult cigarette smokers: with at-risk drinking (ARD; = 23) and without ARD ( = 24).

Medical cannabis authorization patterns, safety, and associated effects in older adults.

Background: Use of medical cannabis is increasing among older adults. However, few investigations have examined cannabis use in this population.

Methods: We assessed the authorization patterns, safety, and effects of medical cannabis in a sub-analysis of 201 older adults (aged ≥ 65 years) who completed a 3-month follow-up during this observational study of patients who were legally authorized a medical cannabis product (N = 67).

Characterisation of a Hepatitis C Virus Subtype 2a Cluster in Scottish PWID with a Suboptimal Response to Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir Treatment.

Unlabelled: Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have revolutionised the treatment of Hepatitis C virus (HCV), allowing the World Health Organisation (WHO) to set a target of eliminating HCV by 2030. In this study we aimed to investigate glecaprevir and pibrentasvir (GP) treatment outcomes in a cohort of patients with genotype 2a infection.

Methods: Clinical data and plasma samples were collected in NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

A crowdsourcing survey study on the subjective effects of delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol relative to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol.

Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8-THC) has emerged as a new retail cannabinoid product in the U.S. This study queried Δ8-THC users about product use characteristics and self-reported drug effects.

Self-Assembled Peptide Amphiphile Nanofibers for Controlled Therapeutic Delivery to the Atherosclerotic Niche.

Atherosclerotic plaque remains the leading contributor to cardiovascular disease and requires invasive surgical procedures for its removal. Nanomedicine offers a minimally invasive approach to alleviate plaque burden by targeted therapeutic delivery. However, nanocarriers are limited without the ability to sense and respond to the diseased microenvironment.

Pharmacokinetics of cannabichromene in a medical cannabis product also containing cannabidiol and Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol: a pilot study.

Purpose: Cannabichromene (CBC) is a phytocannabinoid commonly found in cannabis, yet its acute post-dose pharmacokinetics (PK) have not been examined in humans. This is a secondary data analysis from a trial investigating Spectrum Yellow oil, an oral cannabis product used for medical purposes that contained 20 mg cannabidiol (CBD), 0.9 mg Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and 1.

Evaluation of the scale-up of HIV testing among people who inject drugs in Scotland in the context of an ongoing HIV outbreak.

Background: A large outbreak of HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) has been ongoing in Glasgow city centre (GCC), Scotland since early 2015. The outbreak is associated with high levels of homelessness, cocaine injecting and injecting in public places. A key component of the public health response was the scale-up of HIV testing in a range of services engaged with PWID.

Intravenous Delivery of Lung-Targeted Nanofibers for Pulmonary Hypertension in Mice.

Pulmonary hypertension is a highly morbid disease with no cure. Available treatments are limited by systemic adverse effects due to non-specific biodistribution. Self-assembled peptide amphiphile (PA) nanofibers are biocompatible nanomaterials that can be modified to recognize specific biological markers to provide targeted drug delivery and reduce off-target toxicity.

Authorization Patterns, Safety, and Effectiveness of Medical Cannabis in Quebec.

Despite increasing demand for data, little is known about the authorization patterns, safety, and effectiveness of medical cannabis products. We conducted a 2 year observational study of adult patients who were legally authorized a medical cannabis product from a single licensed producer; we captured and analyzed authorized cannabis use patterns by cannabinoid profile (tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]-dominant; cannabidiol [CBD]-dominant; and balanced (THC:CBD) and clinical outcomes using standardized outcome measures every 3 months for 12 months at a network of medical cannabis clinics in Quebec, Canada. We recruited 585 patients (average age 56.