Allergies
Studies and patients’ testimonies have shown that cannabis can be a great tool for the treatment of allergies and related autoimmune disorders, when the immune system attacks the body’s tissue.
Experiments on Mice
Researchers found out that skin of lab rodents whose bodies lacked CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors is extremely susceptible to inflammation. They have also discovered that individuals with unusually high levels of anandamide (a cannabinoid that occurs naturally in human organism) are more resistant against the inflammation.
Furthermore, when the mice were given substances that prevent cannabis from interacting with cannabinoid receptors, sensitivity of their skin has increased. These experiments clearly show that activating the CB1 and CB2 receptors using cannabis and substances contained therein can mitigate e.g. an allergic reaction in the form of rash due to contact with the irritant sap of poison sumac.
German scientists have conducted a study where mice exposed to various allergens were given cannabis drops externally. Its leading author, Professor Thomas Tuting, said: “When we applied THC-infused solution to mice’s skin immediately before and after the contact with the allergen, the edema caused by the allergic reaction was much smaller than usual.”
Authors of the study say that a great thing about applying cannabis drops on skin is that THC content there is too small to cause any narcotic effects.
What's more, recent studies have shown that the second most prominent cannabinoid in the plant – CBD – has a great potential for the treatment of allergies, too.