Newswise — SPOKANE, Wash. – Cannabidiol or CBD, a non-psychoactive component of cannabis, inhibits the metabolism of nicotine, new research has found, meaning it could help tobacco users curb the urge for that next cigarette.
A team led by Washington State University researchers tested the effects of CBD and its major metabolite on human liver tissue and cell samples, showing that it inhibited a key enzyme for nicotine metabolism. For the nicotine-addicted, slowing metabolism of the drug could allow them to wait before feeling the need to inhale more of it along with all the other harmful things found in cigarette smoke.
More research is needed to confirm these effects in humans and determine dosage levels, but these findings show promise, said Philip Lazarus, WSU professor of pharmaceutical sciences.
“The whole mission is to decrease harm from smoking, which is not from the nicotine per se, but all the carcinogens and other chemicals that are in tobacco smoke,” said Lazarus, senior author on the study published in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology. “If we can minimize that harm, it would be a great thing for human health.”
Cigarette smoking is still a major health problem with one in five people in the U.S. dying every year from smoking-related causes. While often seen as less harmful, many other nicotine delivery methods including vaping, snuff and chew also contain chemicals that can cause cancer and other illnesses.
In this study, the researchers…
