Cannabis Could Yield Novel Antipsychotics

Distinct from Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; the key psychoactive component of marijuana), cannabidiol (CBD) constitutes up to 40% of cannabis plant extract. This nonpsychoactive cannabinoid may have antipsychotic properties in patients with schizophrenia (NEJM JW Psychiatry Jun 2012 and Transl Psychiatry 2012; 2:e94). Although both THC and CBD affect the brain's endocannabinoid system, neither substance has been linked directly to dopamine D2 receptors (which are blocked by all known antipsychotic agents). To elucidate CBD's action at these binding sites, researchers used rat striatal tissue as a source of D2 receptors. CBD was tested across a range of concentrations for its capacity to inhibit the binding of domperidone, an antagonist at t…