Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research
April 1, 2006
Antônio Waldo Zuardi, J.a.s. Crippa, Jaime E. C. Hallak et al.
411 citations
A high dose of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive component of cannabis, induces anxiety and psychotic-like symptoms in healthy volunteers, and these effects are significantly reduced by cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabis constituent without typical cannabis effects. Studies in animal models and healthy volunteers suggest an anxiolytic-like effect of CBD. Its antipsychotic-like properties have been investigated in animal models and supported by studies on healthy volunteers using binocular depth inversion and ketamine-induced psychotic symptoms. Open case reports and a preliminary controlled clinical trial indicate that CBD may be a safe, well-tolerated alternative treatment for schizophrenia. Future studies in other psychotic conditions are indicated.
Frontiers in Pharmacology
May 11, 2017
Antônio Waldo Zuardi, Natália Pegoraro Rodrigues, Angélica L. Silva et al.
292 citations
Acute administration of 300 mg of cannabidiol (CBD) reduced subjective anxiety after a public speaking test in healthy adults, while 100 mg and 900 mg did not, confirming an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve similar to that seen in animal studies. Clonazepam (1 mg) also reduced anxiety but caused more sedation and smaller increases in blood pressure compared to CBD 300 mg. The public speaking test itself increased anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure across all groups.
BMC Neuroscience
March 5, 2015
Ludmyla Kandratavicius, Priscila Alves Balista, Daniele C. Wolf et al.
40 citations
Nitric oxide donors, especially sodium nitroprusside (SNP), show promise for treating schizophrenia. In a rat model using ketamine to induce schizophrenia-like behaviors, SNP given either before or after ketamine consistently reduced hyperlocomotion. Glyceryl trinitrate and SNP given after ketamine improved long-term memory, while methylene blue given before ketamine also improved long-term memory. The effects depended on whether the drug was administered before or after ketamine, suggesting the timing of treatment matters. These findings indicate that nitric oxide modulation could be a new pharmacological approach for schizophrenia.