Teixeira Helena M
Department of Research, Training and Documentation, National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Coimbra, Portugal.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
Front Toxicol. 2025 Jan 28;6:1495547. doi: 10.3389/ftox.2024.1495547. eCollection 2024.
Cannabinoids are part of the most popular group of illicit substances in the Western world. The word "cannabinoid" refers to any chemical substance, regardless of structure or origin, that binds to the body's cannabinoid receptors and that has effects similar to those produced by the Cannabis plant. Regarding their origin, cannabinoids can be classified into endocannabinoids, phytocannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoids. The behavioral and physiological effects of cannabinoids have received particular attention over the last few decades, including sensations of euphoria, relaxation and loss of concentration, with their repeated use being associated with short and long-term side effects, including respiratory and cardiovascular disorders, cognitive changes, psychoses, schizophrenia and mood disorders. On the other hand, recent investigations have proposed a promising therapeutic potential of cannabinoid-based drugs for a wide range of medical situations, including neurological and psychiatric disorders, among other indications. The growing popularity in the use of cannabinoid-based compounds, both for recreational and therapeutic purposes, has been accompanied by an equally continuous and growing evolution of knowledge regarding their potential harmful and beneficial effects. However, there are several open questions and challenges to be answered, which require more and better investigations. This article's main objectives are: i) to understand the importance of the action of cannabinoids in humans; ii) identify the different types of cannabinoids that exist and understand the differences in their action; iii) distinguish the legislative framework for cannabinoid consumption; iv) identify the possible adverse effects of cannabinoid consumption, as well as their potential benefits; v) know the existing medical-scientific evidence in terms of therapeutic potential, particularly in relation to aspects of safety and efficacy; vi) encourage critical thinking about the recreational consumption and therapeutic use of cannabinoids, based both on currently available evidence and gaps in knowledge.
大麻素是西方世界最流行的非法物质类别之一。“大麻素”一词指的是任何化学物质，无论其结构或来源如何，只要能与人体的大麻素受体结合并产生与大麻植物所产生的效果相似的作用。就其来源而言，大麻素可分为内源性大麻素、植物性大麻素和合成大麻素。在过去几十年里，大麻素的行为和生理作用受到了特别关注，包括欣快感、放松感和注意力不集中，反复使用大麻素会带来短期和长期的副作用，包括呼吸和心血管疾病、认知变化、精神病、精神分裂症和情绪障碍。另一方面，最近的研究表明，基于大麻素的药物在广泛的医疗情况下具有潜在的治疗潜力，包括神经和精神疾病等其他适应症。基于大麻素的化合物在娱乐和治疗目的方面的使用越来越普遍，与此同时，关于其潜在有害和有益作用的知识也在持续不断地发展。然而，仍有几个悬而未决的问题和挑战需要解答，这需要更多更好的研究。本文的主要目标是：i）了解大麻素在人体内作用的重要性；ii）识别存在的不同类型的大麻素并了解它们作用的差异；iii）区分大麻素消费的立法框架；iv）识别大麻素消费可能产生的不利影响及其潜在益处；v）了解在治疗潜力方面现有的医学科学证据，特别是在安全性和有效性方面；vi）基于现有证据和知识空白，鼓励对大麻素的娱乐性消费和治疗性使用进行批判性思考。
