Arthritis refers to inflammation of a joint, and therefore includes many diseases of inflammatory origin. It is a common condition generally linked to aging, which must be differentiated from osteoarthritis : arthritis is an inflammation, the pain appears rather at rest, while osteoarthritis is caused by wear of the cartilage, and will therefore cause pain during movement.

Arthritis, on the other hand, is not caused by normal wear and tear of bones. It is rather an inflammation, which causes the secretion of substances gradually destroying the structure of the joint. It can be of infectious, genetic or metabolic origin.

There are several types of arthritis: lupus, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthropathy, gout and psoriatic arthritis.

2. Action of CBD against arthritis

The anti-inflammatory effect of CBD is recognized. Indeed, it acts on several levels:

• It activates vanilloid receptors ( TRPV1 ) responsible for the regulation of several inflammatory agents such as TNF alpha, IFN gamma, IL6, IL4 and IL12 . (100)

• It inhibits the enzymatic activity of COX1 and COX2 , responsible for the production of prostaglandins from arachidonic acid. However, prostaglandin is a mediator of inflammation. (101)

• It activates the PPAR γ receptor , responsible for the regulation of pro-inflammatory proteins. (102)

• It acts as an antagonist of the GPR55 receptor and therefore reduces the production of IL12 , which is pro-inflammatory. (53)

 

Researchers studied the effect of topical application of a CBD gel on rats suffering from arthritis . This treatment made it possible to reduce joint swelling, pain and the infiltration of immune cells and pro-inflammatory factors (TNFα for example) . (103)

Quotes:

53. Burstein S. Cannabidiol (CBD) and its analogs: a review of their effects on inflammation . Bioorg Med Chem. 1 Apr 2015;23(7):1377‐85.

99. Arthritis Society. What is arthritis | Arthritis Society [Internet]. [cited Oct 30, 2020]. Available at: https://arthritis.ca/a-propos-de-l-arthritis/qu-est-ce-que-arthritis

100. Tsuji F, Murai M, Oki K, Inoue H, Sasano M, Tanaka H, ​​et al. Effects of SA13353, a transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 agonist, on leukocyte infiltration in lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury and ovalbumin-induced allergic airway inflammation . J Pharmacol Sci. 2010;112(4):487‐90.

101. Ruhaak LR, Felth J, Karlsson PC, Rafter JJ, Verpoorte R, Bohlin L. Evaluation of the cyclooxygenase inhibitory effects of six major cannabinoids isolated from Cannabis sativa . Biol Pharm Bull. 2011;34(5):774‐8.

103. Hammell DC, Zhang LP, Ma F, Abshire SM, McIlwrath SL, Stinchcomb AL, et al. Transdermal cannabidiol reduces inflammation and pain-related behaviors in a rat model of arthritis . Eur J Pain Lond Engl. Jul 2016;20(6):936‐48.