Current medical research and opinion
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Analgesic and antihyperalgesic effects of nabilone on experimental heat pain.
In this study, we explored the analgesic and antihyperalgesic properties of a synthetic cannabinoid (nabilone) on experimental heat pain in men and women, as well as its effects on descending pain inhibitory systems. ⋯ Nabilone failed to produce analgesic effects and it did not interact with descending pain inhibitory systems. However, we found that a single 1 mg dose of nabilone reduced temporal summation for women but not men. Although a titration regime and a larger sample of subjects might have provided more robust effects, these preliminary results suggest that nabilone appears effective at relieving hyperalgesic responses in women. Possible neurobiological mechanisms and clinical implications are further discussed.