Study: Cannabinoids Like CBGA, CBN, and CBG May Reduce HIV-Related Pain

The study, published in NeuroImmune Pharmacology and Therapeutics, explored how cannabinoids interact with the HIV-1 regulatory protein Tat, which plays a role in chronic pain among people living with HIV (PLWH). About 80% of PLWH experience chronic pain, and the team used transgenic mice expressing the Tat1-86 protein to better understand how cannabinoids might mitigate this effect. Across both sexes, Tat-positive mice displayed stronger pain responses than control mice. When treated with certain cannabinoids, those pain reactions were significantly reduced. Cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN) all lessened Tat-induced visceral pain in male and female mice, though the effects varied by sex. CBN was more effective in males, while cannabigerol (CBG) relieved pain only in Tat-positive females.

Cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) and cannabidivarin (CBDV), however, showed no measurable benefit in either sex. In tail-flick reflex tests, CBGA and CBG were effective in both males and females without Tat expression, though their ability to reverse Tat-induced pain was limited. CBD and CBN offered little or no benefit in that test.

The findings indicate that minor cannabinoids may provide analgesic benefits for HIV-related pain, though their effectiveness could depend on biological sex and the type of pain involved. Researchers suggest this line of work may inform more personalized approaches to managing pain in people with HIV.