What Is Asthma?
Asthma is a series of bronchospasms and increased mucous production in the lung airways. Asthma can be triggered by many different stimuli, ranging from organic materials to physical activity to respiratory infections. When Asthma is triggered, it leads to difficulty breathing, and patients often carry an inhaler to ease their symptoms. Asthma often causes anxiety as suffers struggle to breathe and the increased anxiety worsens the asthma symptoms. This creates a problematic cycle, which can be made worse by some inhalers because of the stimulants they contain.
How Can Cannabis Help?
Cannabidiol, or CBD, could be helpful in achieving what an inhaler can while also decreasing anxiety. A 2015 study by Labratรณrio de Fisiopathologia Experimental in Brazil found that CBD could be helpful in reducing mucous production associated with asthma. The study was conducted on rats who were injected with chicken ovalbumin, which produces a response in the rats similar to asthma. Half of the rats injected with the ovalbumin were then injected with CBD and one group of rats was injected with neither.
Blood samples were obtained from the rats to measure cytokines, which are small proteins released by cells that are involved in cell communication and behavior. The rats who had been injected with CBD experienced a reduction in the amount of two kinds of cytokines. This decrease in cytokines suggests that CBD could reduce the production of mucous that is associated with asthma. The study also noted the immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties of CBD, which could also benefit patients with asthma. This study is a good first look at how CBD could help patients with asthma, but more clinical trials are needed.
Anecdotal Study Findings
Dr. Allan Frankel at Green Bridge Medical Center conducted an anecdotal study using CBD rich tincture to monitor how it effected patients ability to breath. Dr. Frankel measured the forced expiatory volume at one second (when the patient was breathing as hard as they can), forced vital capacity (the amount of air a patient could blow out after taking a deep breath), and peak expiratory flow rate at any point during exhalation both before and after cannabis administration.
Dr. Frankel administered a 3 drop dose of tincture to asthma patients sublingually, which led to a doubling of forced expiratory capacity and peak expiratory flow rate. These increases were considered to be a great response to a inhaler for asthma, especially without an anxiety increase. CBD is known to reduce inflammation, which could explain why it could be especially helpful in relaxing the bronchiolar muscles during an asthmatic attack.
Could CBD Even Decrease Anxiety?
CBD may have the ability to go beyond just helping with asthma symptoms and could even decrease anxiety in patients who are suffering from an asthmatic spasm. A study published in Neuropsychopharmacology from 2011 showed that CBD helped decrease anxiety in patients with social anxiety disorder. 24 patients with social anxiety disorder, who had never been treated, received 600mg of CBD or a placebo. There was also an added control group of 12 people without social anxiety disorder who took part in the test as well.
Personal evaluations and physiological measures, such as blood pressure, heart rate, and skin conductance, were monitored in each individual during a public speaking test. Patients who had taken CBD had greatly reduced anxiety and cognitive impairment compared to the group who had taken the placebo. This study could provide insight into how CBD could reduce the anxiety in patients with asthma.
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