A clinical study indicates that CBD helps those with alcoholism feel less of a desire for alcohol.

Alcoholism sufferers' cravings for alcohol can be lessened by cannabidiol (CBD), according to a study. The cannabis plant naturally contains CBD, which doesn't make you feel drunk.The Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH) researchers' findings offer the first proof that this cannabis active component may be useful in treating alcoholism. The team's study's findings have been published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

Many people suffer from alcohol-related illnesses, which are among the most prevalent and debilitating conditions in the world. In spite of this, only few medications have been authorised to treat them. The need for the creation of novel pharmaceutical treatments is underscored by the fact that most patients relapse even after taking relapse prevention drugs. CBD may have promise, according to preclinical research, as it was found to drastically lower laboratory animals' alcohol intake. Clinical trials in people have been scarce, though. This gap is filled by the ICONIC study (Cannabidiol's effects on cue-induced alcohol craving and nucleus accumbens activity).

The researchers examined the effects of CBD on brain activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a part of the brain linked to reward and addiction, as well as the desire for alcohol induced by alcohol stimuli.

This double-blind, randomised, and controlled trial was carried out at the CIMH in Mannheim and involved 28 individuals with mild to severe alcohol-related illnesses, ages 18 to 60. Two groups were formed from the participants by the researchers. A single dose of 800 mg of CBD was administered to one group, and a placebo was given to the other. The test participants then participated in a variety of tasks where they were, for instance, subjected to stress or alcohol stimuli. They were either shown pictures of alcohol or instructed to enter what looked like a bar. They used surveys to gauge their alcohol cravings. To monitor their brain activity, a magnetic resonance tomograph was used.

Those who got CBD reported much fewer cravings for alcohol than those who received a placebo, according to the study. Additionally, the scientists discovered that among those who took CBD, the NAc, or "reward centre of the brain," was noticeably less active. A lower chance of relapsing and a decreased desire for alcohol are linked to lower NAc activation. The scientists also demonstrated that a decreased desire for alcohol and less NAc activation were linked to higher blood levels of CBD.

"Our study offers preliminary and unambiguous proof that cannabidiol can lessen alcohol cravings and alter brain activity linked to addiction," summarises Prof. Dr. Patrick Bach, research group leader at the CIMH's Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine. Sina Vetter, a scientist, concurs,

"However, further research activities are needed to answer important questions—which were not the subject of the study—such as whether the results are generally applicable and whether the effect of CBD remains stable over time." In addition to building on the results of the ICONIC study, the research team is currently preparing another investigation. The purpose of the ICONICplus trial is to compare the established standard treatments with the added value of CBD and naltrexone treatment.