THC and CBD an alternative for the treatment of stress in adults: benefits and controversies: an updated literature review

Abstract

Introduction. Stress is a disorder caused by physical or emotional events that affect the organism’s homeostasis causing significant health alterations. In the 21st century, therapies based on medicinal plants have been developed, including those that can treat diseases of the Central Nervous System. The use of phytocannabinoids such as THC and CBD have proven to be highly effective in reducing stress but are controversial due to their recreational use and regulations. Objective. The purpose of this article is to review the existing scientific evidence on both the beneficial and harmful effects of using THC and CBD in treating stress in adults. Methodology. Literature searches and reviews were carried out using three keywords: stress treated with THC and CBD, stress and cannabis, treatment and stress, and cannabis or marijuana through high-quality databases such as PubMed, SciELO, Scopus, Web of Science, Springer, Medline, Taylor & Francis, and Redalyc, through the online databases of the Catholic University of Cuenca. Results. Several of these studies cited in this research indicate that these metabolites cause significant improvements in all patients. Symptoms achieved improvements under the effect of flexible dosing following a strict regimen of cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol. Conclusion. The data collected in this study have shown therapeutic benefits, so further research in this field is crucial to understand better the risks and benefits of these compounds in adult stress management.