CBD Drug Interactions

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a safe, non-intoxicating, and non-addictive cannabis compound with significant therapeutic attributes. Nevertheless, a growing body of evidence suggest that CBD may inhibit the activity of the Cytochrome P450 enzymes, which are responsible for the metabolism of multiple pharmaceuticals. Thus, the use of CBD and concomitant medicines may lead to overdose and unwanted side effects and affect treatment efficacy.

In this study, we use an in vitro model system for testing the effect of CBD on other drugs. Our model includes use of human liver microsomes (HLMs), the most widely used system for testing drug-drug interactions and a 3D culture of human hepatocytes, which is an emerging model for testing complex, tissue specific processes. This combination will provide a good indication of CBD-drug interactions, while avoiding the inter-species variation involved in In vivo models of drug metabolism.