First US Clinical Trial of Cannabinoid Supplements for Traumatic Brain Injury

The first clinical study (NCT03826368) in the US to assess the effectiveness of plant-derived cannabinoid supplements for recovery from traumatic brain injury will begin in Colorado. The supplements that will be studied are derived from a hemp strain that is a blend with less psychoactive effect than other strains. This strain was created and marketed as an option for pediatric patients with medically refractory epilepsy using medical marijuana. 

The year-long study of adults 18 to 55 years of age will analyze quantitative EEG brain activity and a cannabinoid-sensitive salivary biomarker in 40 subjects with mild traumatic brain injury and control subjects who take hemp-derived supplements (eg, phytocannabinoids) on a regular basis.

“There are currently no effective treatments for traumatic brain injury or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, but phytocannabinoids may be a good candidate, based on the established science of anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective mechanisms,” said Chloe Villano, president and founder of Clover Leaf University.