Study: Cannabinoids May Provide Treatment Option for Sexual Dysfunctions
Cannabinoids may provide a potential therapeutic target for sexual dysfunctions, according to a study published in the journal Pharmacological Research. The study was published online by the U.S. National Institute of Health.
“The endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is composed of the cannabinoid receptors types 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2) for marijuana’s psychoactive ingredient Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC)… recently emerged as important modulator of emotional and non-emotional behavior”, begins the study’s abstract. “For centuries, in addition to its recreational actions, several contradictory claims regarding the effects of Cannabis use in sexual functioning and behavior (e.g. aphrodisiac vs anti-aphrodisiac) of both sexes have been accumulated.”
The identification of Δ9-THC and later on, the discovery of the ECS “have opened a potential therapeutic target for sexual dysfunctions, given the partial efficacy of current pharmacological treatment, states the study. “In agreement with the bidirectional modulation induced by cannabinoids on several behavioral responses, the endogenous cannabinoid AEA elicited biphasic effects on sexual behavior as well.”
The study reviewed “current available knowledge on herbal, synthetic and endogenous cannabinoids with respect to the modulation of several aspects of sexuality in preclinical and human studies, highlighting their therapeutic potential.”
The full study can be found by clicking here.