Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, is a chronic disease in which damage occurs to the sheaths of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Often a progressive disease, symptoms can include pain, numbness, speech impairment and fatigue. Researchers have begun to Study cannabidiol (CBD) as a possible treatment therapy, as CBD is one of the many compounds found in hemp and has a diverse pharmacological profile with little to no adverse side effects.

The PI3K/AKT/m/TOR Pathway, an intracellular signaling pathway which regulates cell cycles, has become of interest to researchers studying MS, as it plays a major part in cellular quiescence, proliferation, cancer and longevity. Neuroscientists at the Contrada Casazza, in Italy, conducted a study in 2017 to examine the potential effects of cannabidiol on the PI3K/AKT/m/TOR pathway.

In their study, researchers induced mice with the most common model of MS.  After the disease symptoms began, the mice were treated with CBD at a rate of 10mg/kg of body weight daily and observed for clinical signs of MS.  After 28 days, the mice were euthanized and spinal tissues were sampled.  The results demonstrated a clear downregulation of the PI3K/AKT/m/TOR pathway and that CBD was effectively able to restore it.  Their data demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of CBD, due to the reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the promotion of cell neuron survival.  They concluded their study by stating that the, “results provide an interesting discovery about the regulation of the PI3K/AKT/m/TOR pathway by cannabidiol administration, that could be a new potential therapeutic target for MS management.”

This is exciting news for Multiple Sclerosis patients. We hope research will continue to investigate how CBD can regulate the PI3K/AKT/m/TOR pathway and how it could benefit those suffering from MS. To learn more about the study referenced above, click here.