Study Finds Cannabinoids Can Treat Psoriasis
Cannabinoids can treat psoriasis, according to a new study published in the journal Medical Hypotheses and published online by the U.S. National Institute of Health.
An illustrated example of psoriasis. (Photo: Mayo Clinic)
“Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease also affecting other sites such as joints”, states the study’s abstract. “This disease highly depends on inflammation and angiogenesis as well as other pathways.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, psoriasis is a condition that affects over 3 million people annually “in which skin cells build up and form scales and itchy, dry patches”.
For the study, researchers used JWH-133, “a “synthetic cannabinoid with strong anti-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory activities” that’s meant to mimic the effects of naturally-derived cannabinoids, and found it to be successful in suppressing psoriasis.
“Altogether, authors suggest using this cannabinoid for treatment of psoriasis due to its potential in suppressing the two main steps of psoriatic pathogenesis”, the study states.
It concludes by noting that; “Of course complementary animal studies and human trials are still required.”
The full study, conducted by researchers at Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran, can be found by clicking here.