Cannabis Compounds Could Reverse Disease Affecting One-Third of Adults
- Study from Hebrew University of Jerusalem found that cannabis compounds cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) significantly improve metabolic health and reduce liver fat in models of chronic liver disease.
- CBD and CBG are non-intoxicating cannabinoids, unlike THC, making them promising candidates for long-term medical treatments without psychoactive effects.
- These compounds target metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a condition affecting about one-third of adults globally and linked to obesity and insulin resistance, for which few pharmaceutical treatments currently exist.
- The research reveals a new mechanism whereby CBD and CBG enhance liver energy and lysosomal function, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits for liver health.
Two compounds significantly improved metabolic health and liver function in those with common disease
Compounds found in cannabis could provide a new roadmap for treating the world’s most common chronic liver disorder, according to a study released by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The research, published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, found that cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) significantly reduced liver fat and improved metabolic health in experimental models.
CBD is the more widely studied non-intoxicating cannabinoid, while CBG is a less common “precursor” cannabinoid from which CBD is formed.
Unlike THC, the primary psychoactive component in cannabis, these compounds do not produce a “high,” making them viable candidates for long-term medical treatment, the study suggests.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) currently affects approximately one-third of the global adult population, according to health data.
The condition, which is closely linked to obesity and insulin resistance, has few approved pharmaceutical treatments, the researchers said, leaving patients to rely largely on lifestyle changes that can be difficult to maintain.
“Our findings identify a new mechanism by which CBD and CBG enhance hepatic energy and lysosomal function,” said lead study author Joseph Tam, director of the Multidisciplinary Center for Cannabinoid Research at Hebrew University, in a press release.
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