PainRelief.com Interview with:
Dr.  Jeremy Henson
Director of Medical Affairs
Medlab Clinical Ltd

PainRelief.com:  What is the background for this study?  What are the main findings?

Response: THC and CBD combination medicines have the potential to provide a non-opioid option for chronic pain that does not have the GIT or respiratory adverse reactions of opioids and allows better cognitive functioning.

Delivery across the oro-buccal membrane appears to be best method of administration of cannabinoids for chronic pain. Oro-buccal delivery has pharmacokinetics appropriate for 6-8 hourly maintenance dosing and avoids first pass metabolism and the slow erratic onset of ingestion; and the high serum THC peaks, frequent redosing and toxic oxidation products of vaping.

The problems with using a 50% ethanol vehicle to deliver cannabinoids across the oro-buccal membrane include local irritation, incomplete absorption and significant systemic ethanol levels. These issues could be solved by using a micellular nanoparticle to solubilise the cannabinoids and deliver them across the oro-buccal mucous membrane.

This study was a first in human study of a micellular nanoparticle formulation of 1:1 THC and CBD delivered as an oro-buccal spray for chronic cancer pain.