Ruth Fisher

Articles

Given the fast and furious mobilization of the global healthcare community to understand the nature of the coronavirus, how to treat it, and, eventually, how to prevent it, the sheer volume of research on COVID-19 is not at all surprising. What is, perhaps, surprising, especially given how recently it’s been since the COVID-19 breakout, is that there are so many research publications on the potential for cannabis to be used to treat the virus. On the other hand, perhaps the abundance of research on cannabis for COVID-19 is not so surprising. After all, it is a virus that causes an immune response, which may escalate into a virulent inflammatory reaction. And an enormous body of research on cannabis—and cannabidiol (CBD) in particular—has shown cannabis to induce strong anti-viral and anti-inflammatory effects. It is still early days, so no clinical studies establishing the efficacy of cannabis for COVID-19 have yet been conducted, but studies have established several clear mechanisms of action for using cannabis to treat COVID-19.

Overview of the Research on Cannabis for COVID-19

In this blog installment, we take a deep dive into research on how cannabis affects neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease.

Cannabis for Neurodegenerative Disorders

This blog installment looks at the use of cannabis for pets. Topics covered include the history of cannabis use in veterinary medicine, current laws on cannabis for pets, market size and segment, reported experiences from both pet owners and veterinarians, and pet toxicology. 

Overview of Cannabis for Pets

This blog installment takes a look at the mind-body connection and how the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a key role. Topics covered include the gut, the vagus nerve, the gut-brain axis, and more.

The Role of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) in the Mind-Body Connection

This blog installment takes a look at autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and how the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a key role. Topics covered include the characterization of ASD, ECS dysfunction in ASD patients and comorbidities, and how cannabis addresses ASD symptoms. 

Endocannabinoid System (ECS) Dysregulation May Underlie Autism

While placebo-controlled randomized trials are lacking, a few early studies show promise for cannabis and arthritis, and surveys show that many arthritis patients are already finding relief using cannabis to treat their symptoms.

Research on Cannabis for Arthritis

Cannabis provides a conundrum for treating pediatric oncology: While preclinical research provides clear mechanisms of action for cannabis’s potential to treat pediatric oncology, clinical studies are difficult to conduct, due to the associated ethics. Here, we take a closer look at the state of current research.

Overview of the Research on Cannabis for Pediatric Oncology

In this article, Ruth Fisher, PhD, presents some of the research being explored with cannabis and autoimmune disorders.


Research Overview:  Cannabis and Autoimmune Disorders

In this article, Ruth Fisher explores the prominence of cannabis being used to treat chronic pain patients and data from studies detailing how beneficial it can be.

Overview of Research on Cannabis for Chronic Pain

To date, clinical evidence supporting the efficacy of cannabis for PTSD has been positive in nature but weak in power; hopefully stronger clinical evidence will be forthcoming.