THC blocks bleeding and inflammation of the stomach caused by painkillers such as diclofenac

Moderate doses of THC are able to reduce bleeding and inflammation of the stomach caused by NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). This is the result of studies with mice conducted by researchers of the Department of Psychology of West Virginia University in Morgantown, USA. The mice were fasted, administered THC (oral or injected into the belly), and then treated with the NSAID diclofenac, which induces gastric damage.

THC dose-dependently attenuated diclofenac-induced gastric bleeding through both routes of administration. THC was effective at low doses, which did not cause locomotor immobility, analgesia and catalepsy. Authors concluded that “these data indicate that the phytocannabinoid delta-9-THC protects against diclofenac-induced gastric inflammatory tissue damage at doses insufficient to cause common cannabinoid side effects.”