Natalia Piekuś-Słomka

„Medical cannabis” – compendium of pharmacist’s knowledge
2020-03-15

„Medical cannabis” – compendium of pharmacist’s knowledge

Cannabis is one of the oldest cultivated plants, used in both textiles and medicine. Despite the passage of several thousand years, all the possibilities for the therapeutic use of cannabis are still largely unknown. The imminent interest in the therapeutic use of Cannabis sativa is evidenced by the huge number of papers on the pharmacological properties of cannabis compounds as well as the numerous clinical trials. So far, almost 600 compounds found in Cannabis sativa have been isolated, the most interesting of which are phytocannabinoids, with over 100 so far identified. Of the phytocannabinoids, two compounds deserve the most attention: Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is responsible for analgesic and antispasmodic effects, inhibition of chemotherapyinduced nausea and vomiting, increased appetite, reduced intestinal motility as well as euphoria, anxiety, and intoxication (psychoactive effect). CBD has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, anti-emetic and anti-psychotic properties (reduces the negative psychoactivating effect of THC). The use of hemp in the form of dried herbs and natural extracts brings an invaluable benefit known as the “Entourage effect”, which is based on the synergistic action of all cannabinoids with other compounds such as terpenes or flavonoids. The year 2019 was a breakthrough year in the availability of cannabis herb for Polish patients. Three months after being registered, the first dried hemp preparation hit the market. This fact has created new therapeutic options for patients. It has also set new challenges for pharmacists. Proper pharmaceutical care is particularly important due to the short history of cannabis use in Poland and the low availability of reliable sources of knowledge. Pharmacist support is especially crucial for people starting therapy, the more so considering that the dosage of dried herbs is a very individual matter and most often the selection of the appropriate scheme is carried out by “self-titration”. It is also very important to make the patient aware of the correct method of vaporization and proper storage of dried herbs. The aim of this work was to present the practical aspects of the presence of medical cannabis in Polish pharmacies.

Keywords: medical cannabis, THC, CBD.

© Farm Pol, 2020, 76 (2): 88–92