Weight Loss and Therapeutic Metabolic Effects of Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)-Infused Mucoadhesive Strips

Abstract

Objective: Metabolic syndrome is due to dysregulation that starts with fat accumulation, causing inflammatory response, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and fatty liver disease. The endocannabinoid system, via cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1), has been shown to be involved with energy homeostasis and regulation of appetitive behavior via activity in the hypothalamus, limbic forebrain and amygdala and in the peripheral tissues including adipose, liver and muscle. Therefore, two phytocannabinoids, tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), a CB1 neutral antagonist, and cannabidiol (CBD), a negative allosteric modulator of CB1, are expected to have therapeutic metabolic benefits, including weight loss. Method: A placebo-controlled study was conducted on 44 subjects (31 females and 13 males) with an average age of 51.75. The study evaluated the efficacy of two different doses of THCV and CBD (8 mg THCV/10 mg CBD in the lower dose and 16 mg THCV/20 mg CBD in the higher dose), taken once daily for 90 days via mucoadhesive oral strips, for weight loss and improvement of certain metabolic markers. Results: Use of the THCV/CBD strip was associated with statistically significant weight loss, decreases in abdominal girth, systolic blood pressure, and total and LDL cholesterol. The study was limited by small sample sizes in both the high dose and placebo groups. Conclusions: The 16 mg/20 mg daily dose was superior for weight loss compared to the 8 mg/10 mg daily dose; both sets of results differed from placebo in a way that was statistically significant. The results of this study were congruent with the prior unpublished studies of a hemp extract containing significant percentages of THCV, CBDV and CBD.