A study recently published in the European Journal of Pharmacology has found that THC, a key component of cannabis, can reduce tissue damage caused by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen). According to the study, “Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are among the most widely used analgesics in the world, cause gastrointestinal inflammation that is potentially life-threatening.”

Researchers at West Virginia University found that when delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, was administered to test subjects prior to diclofenac-induced gastric hemorrhaging, the hemorrhaging was lessened, and the damage was significantly reduced. The study concluded, “These data indicate that the phytocannabinoid Δ9-THC protects against diclofenac-induced gastric inflammatory tissue damage”.

With more than 100,000 hospitalizations occurring every year in the U.S., and an estimated 16,500 deaths annually from gastrointestinal complications caused by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, this is an important, and potentially life-saving study, that could impact the lives of thousands.

– TheJointBlog