Australian researchers examined the use of cannabidiol (CBD) products by cancer patients to assess the risk to liver health. The findings published in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care found no evidence that CBD use causes liver damage. The use of CBD-dominant medical cannabis products by cancer patients has increased over the past decade, but there are few studies evaluating the cannabinoid’s effectiveness and safety. Australian medical cannabis law permits doctors to authorize regulated CBD or CBD-dominant products (containing a specific ratio of CBD to tetrahydrocannabinol) to patients unresponsive to most conventional pharmaceutical therapies. CBD-dominant products are formulated with a specific ratio of CBD to THC to address specific symptoms such as pain, inflammation, nausea, depression, and other ailments.
The researchers assessed the potential impact of daily CBD administration (up to 600 mg per day) on liver health in a cohort of 287 patients with advanced cancer. The researchers analyzed data from two randomized, placebo-controlled trials of escalating doses of CBD or THC/CBD formulations. They measured the patients’ aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels at baseline, day 14, and day 28. This method can detect higher levels of these enzymes in blood and, therefore, possibly indicate liver cell damage or disease.
Data analysis revealed no significant adverse effects of CBD-dominant products on patients’ ALT and AST levels during the study period. The researchers reported no clinically meaningful differences in liver enzyme levels between CBD-only and CBD/THC combination products. Another finding highlighted that no patients in the cannabis groups exceeded the predefined thresholds of 3× upper limit of normal (ULN) (or 5× ULN in those with liver metastases) for ALT or AST.
This study offers insights into CBD safety that can inform patient-doctor discussions about cannabinoid products. Additional research on CBD's effects on the liver can help minimize risks to liver health for patients using CBD-infused products.
Sources: BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, NORML
