An experimental pill from a recent class of medicine has demonstrated potential in treating cannabis use disorder in a small study.

Based on the findings published in Nature Medicine, the drug, called AEF-0117, reduced the perceived positive effects of cannabis by as much as 38% in a double-blind randomized controlled phase 2a trial led by Columbia University researchers.

Cannabis use disorder, which affects an estimated 30% of marijuana users per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is characterised by the lack to stop using marijuana despite significant disruptions to each day life.

Signs of cannabis use disorder in young people can include declining academic performance, changes in relationships and disengagement from previously enjoyed activities.

Currently, no drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat this disorder possibly affecting thousands and thousands of Americans, in response to NBC News.

The lead creator of the study, Meg Haney, expressed optimism in regards to the preliminary findings, describing them as “very encouraging.” Haney, the director of the cannabis research laboratory at Columbia University, highlighted that AEF-0117 is one in every of the few medications tested to directly decrease the consequences of cannabis, with the goal of helping individuals abstain from its use.

The trial involved 29 adult men and ladies diagnosed with cannabis use disorder, who were each day consumers of roughly 3 grams of marijuana, six days per week. The study examined two doses of the drug: a low dose of 0.06 milligrams (mg) and the next dose of 1 milligram.

Participants were randomly assigned to receive either the drug or a placebo for five days, after which they smoked a controlled amount of cannabis. They were then asked questions on their subjective experience, resembling feeling high or experiencing positive effects, at various intervals after smoking.

The lower dose reduced the perceived positive effects by 19%, while the upper dose achieved a discount of 38%. Only the upper dose significantly decreased the quantity of cannabis consumed later within the day.

No significant unwanted effects were observed, and the drug didn’t cause withdrawal symptoms. Nonetheless, the findings of the small trial will have to be validated through larger trials, with a phase 2b trial involving roughly 300 patients currently underway. Results from the trial are expected next 12 months.

The distinctiveness of AEF-0117 lies in its specific targeting of the brain. Cannabis primarily exerts its effects on the brain through tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), its psychoactive compound, which binds to the CB1 receptor. AEF-0117 selectively blocks certain actions of this receptor, allowing it to diminish the euphoric effects of cannabis without inducing opposed unwanted effects.

Experts emphasized that the drug is more than likely to be effective in patients who’re motivated to quit using cannabis. While marijuana use may not pose problems for a lot of individuals, there may be concern that the general public is probably not fully aware of its potential dangers.

The increasing legalization of recreational marijuana across states raises significant public health challenges, because the risks related to cannabis use are sometimes underrecognized. Effective medications are needed to deal with cannabis use disorder since they’ve been developed for other substances like opioids, nicotine, and alcohol.

Further research is essential to substantiate the recent findings and assess any potential unwanted effects of the drug. Some experts note that the drug was tested on lower potency products than what is often available in the marketplace, highlighting the necessity to think about the increasingly potent cannabis products currently in circulation.

Published by Medicaldaily.com