Researchers at the University of Arizona have found that certain compounds from the cannabis plant can reduce chronic pain in preclinical tests. The terpenes worked in models of fibromyalgia and post-surgical pain without producing psychoactive effects.
The study, published in Pharmacological Reports, tested four terpenes commonly found in Cannabis sativa: geraniol, linalool, beta-caryophyllene and alpha-humulene. All four reduced pain responses in mice, with geraniol showing the strongest effect.
John Streicher, a professor in the university's Department of Pharmacology, said the compounds do not appear useful for acute pain but deliver clear benefits in chronic or pathological pain states. The effects were linked to the adenosine A2a receptor.
Fibromyalgia affects up to 5 percent of the global population and roughly 4 million adults in the United States. The researchers noted that current treatment options remain limited. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
