Differential Effects of Cannabidiol and a Novel Cannabidiol Analog on Oxycodone Place Preference and Analgesia in Mice: an Opioid Abuse Deterrent with Analgesic Properties.

This study sought to determine whether cannabidiol (CBD) or a CBD derivative, CBD monovalinate monohemisuccinate (CBD-val-HS), could attenuate the development of oxycodone reward while retaining its analgesic effects. To determine the effect on oxycodone reward, animals were enrolled in the conditioned place preference paradigm and received either saline or oxycodone (3.0 mg/kg) in combination with either CBD or CBD-val-HS utilizing three sets of drug-/no drug-conditioning trials. To determine if the doses of CBD or CBD-val-HS that blocked opioid reward would affect nociceptive processes, animals were enrolled in the hot plate and abdominal writhing assays when administered alone or in combination with a subanalgesic (1.0 mg/kg) or analgesic (3.0 mg/kg) dose of oxycodone. Results from condition place preference demonstrated CBD was not able attenuate oxycodone place preference while CBD-val-HS attenuated these rewarding effects at 8.0 mg/kg and was void of rewarding or aversive properties. In contrast to CBD, CBD-val-HS alone produced analgesic effects in both nociceptive assays but was most effective compared with oxycodone against thermal nociception. Of interest, there was a differential interaction of CBD and CBD-val-HS×oxycodone across the two nociceptive assays producing subadditive responses on the hot plate assay, whereas additive responses were observed in the abdominal writhing assay. These findings suggest CBD-val-HS alone, a nonrewarding analgesic compound, could be useful in pain management and addiction treatment settings.