Nausea & Vomiting and Medical Cannabis
Definition
Nausea is the feeling of sickness and wanting to vomit (although nausea does not always lead to vomiting).
Potential Efficacy / Quality of Evidence (Low, Average, High) of Medical Marijuana for Nausea & Vomiting
High
Cannabinoids, Terpenes/Terpenoids, Strains and Ratios that May Help
THC has significant antiemetic properties, as does CBD, but perhaps to a lesser extent.
CBG may also be useful for nausea, but may also cause nausea in large amounts. CBN, THCA and CBDA may also have antiemetic properties.
Alpha- and beta- caryophyllene may be useful as an antiemetic.
1:1
Medical Cannabis Pros
Many antiemetic medications currently prescribed have many side-effects, whereas cannabinoids have much fewer.
Cannabinoids may well work for rare conditions such as CVS.
CBG, CBD, THC are a few of the cannabinoids in the cannabis plant that have antiemetic effects.
Medical cannabis may be particularly useful for nausea associated with cancer and chemotherapy.
Medical Cannabis Cons
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a rare possibility in those who have been using cannabis long-term.
Too much CBD or CBN may in fact trigger nausea or vomiting at high doses (but block it in lower doses). CBG is a cannabinoid that may also work against the anti-emetic effects of CBD when in high doses.
More About the Condition
Nausea is another condition that is more often a symptom of another underlying problem than an issue in-and-of itself (although a condition called cyclic vomiting syndrome, or CVS, does exist).
Headaches and migraines can cause nausea, as can various drugs and medications, treatments such as chemotherapy, fainting & dizziness, exposure to heat, stomach infections such as norovirus, low blood sugar, motion sickness or any loss of balance resulting from disturbance of the inner ear, depression, anxiety, or seeing, smelling and/or tasting something particularly vile may cause nausea. There are likely to be many other triggers as well.
Dopamine (D2) receptors, serotonin (5HT3) receptors, neurokinin receptors (NK1), antihistamine, acetylecholine and TRPV1 (vanilloid) receptors all play a role in causing the sensation of nausea. The group of receptors responsible for nausea and vomiting are often referred to as the “chemoreceptor trigger zone“. Medications used to ease nausea and vomiting are referred to as “antiemetics”.
Quotes from Experts
“WBUR: How could a cancer patient benefit from using cannabis?
Dr. Jordan Tishler: Nausea and vomiting, appetite issues, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia — those sorts of things that are associated either with cancer or chemotherapy, those things are very well treated with cannabis.” Source: Weintraub, Karen, ‘Q&A With A Cannabis Clinician: What Cancer Patients Should Know’ January 10. 2018
