Cannabidiol reduces oxycodone self-administration while preserving its analgesic efficacy in a rat model of neuropathic pain
All Authors:
Adriaan W. Bruijnzeel 1,2
Azin Behnood-Rod 1
Ranjith Kumar Chellian1,5
Wendi Malphurs 3,5
Robert M. Caudle 4
Marcelo Febo 1,2
Barry Setlow 1,2
Niall P. Murphy 3,5
John K. Neubert 3,5
1 Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
2 Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
3 Department of Orthodontics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
4 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
5 Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX, USA.
Published in:
Scientific Reports
Read more:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41521216/
What’s this study about?
The goal of this study was to determine if the non-psychoactive marijuana constituent cannabidiol (CBD) could reduce oxycodone self-administration in a rat model of chronic neuropathic pain without compromising the opioid’s analgesic efficacy. This work addresses the need for pain management strategies that minimize the risk of opioid misuse.
Key findings:
In our study we found that treatment with CBD significantly reduced oxycodone self-administration in both rats with chronic constriction injury (neuropathic pain) and controls. Crucially, despite the reduction in opioid intake, the antinociceptive (pain-relieving) effects of oxycodone were fully preserved in the rats with neuropathic pain.
Why it matters:
Based on these findings we conclude that CBD reduces the reinforcing properties of oxycodone regardless of pain status while maintaining its therapeutic pain-relieving effects. These results support the potential clinical use of CBD as an adjunctive therapy to help mitigate opioid misuse and dependence in patients suffering from chronic pain.