Due to the legalization of marijuana and the increased demand for cannabis and alcohol consumption, research efforts highlighting the biomedical consequences of the use of alcohol and cannabinoids are not only relevant to the substance abuse scientific field, but are also of public health interest. Moreover, an overview of the recent literature about alcohol and cannabinoids neuro-immunomodulatory effects highlighting their future therapeutic potentials will provide a significant contribution to science and medicine. Therefore, in the current review, we will first discuss briefly the prevalence of alcohol and marijuana abuse, followed by a discussion on the individual effects of alcohol and cannabinoids on the immune system; then, we will focus on the role of endocannabinoids on the alcohol-induced inflammatory effects. In addition, the review also incorporates cytokine array data obtained from human monocyte-derived dendritic cells, providing a different perspective on the alcohol and cannabinoid abuse divergent effects on cytokine production. The final section will highlight the therapeutic potential of cannabinoid receptors and the novel strategies to treat alcohol dependence as determined by in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2329-6488.1000184 | DOI Listing |
AAPS J
January 2025
Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, CIRM, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
In addition to the known therapeutic indications for cannabidiol, its administration by inhalation appears to be of great interest. Indeed, there is evidence of cannabidiol's efficacy in several physiological pathways, suggesting its potential for a wide range of applications for both local and systemic pulmonary administration like cancers. Significant advances in pulmonary drug delivery have led to innovative strategies to address the challenges of increasing the respirable fraction of drugs and standardizing inhalable products.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLeg Med (Tokyo)
January 2025
Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary. Electronic address:
Motor vehicle accidents (MVA) are the leading cause of death in childhood and young adult age. One of the most important factors behind MVA is driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA) and drugs (DUID). The importance of DUID is rising together with the increasing drug abuse.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Psychoactive Drugs
January 2025
Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
The increasing acceptance of cannabis use, and policy changes in several jurisdictions has led researchers and public health experts to call for a standard cannabis dose. Standard dosing units are useful tools for regulation, substance use guidelines, data collection, consistency of research, as a means of communicating low-risk recommendations and dose-related effects, and for self-monitoring. Efforts to standardize cannabis dose have focused on cannabinoid content without considering tolerance or mode.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDrug Alcohol Rev
January 2025
Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Introduction: In January 2020, the government of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) decriminalised the possession and cultivation of cannabis for personal use. This study explored the driving-related attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of ACT residents who are legally cultivating and consuming cannabis.
Methods: A two-part cross-sectional study was conducted.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel)
December 2024
Laboratory of Forensic Toxicology, Section of Legal Medicine, Social Security and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Drugged driving is associated with an increased risk of road accidents worldwide. In Italy, driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and drugs is a reason for driving disqualification or revocation of the driving license. Drivers charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs must attend a Local Medical Commission (LMC) to undergo mandatory examinations to regain the suspended license.
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