Groundbreaking Research Validates Cannabinoids as Effective Pain Relievers
For years, cannabinoids like CBD (cannabidiol), CBG (cannabigerol), and CBN (cannabinol) have been touted for their potential pain-relieving properties. Now, a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) provides scientific proof that these non-psychoactive cannabinoids directly block pain by inhibiting Nav1.8, a key sodium channel involved in pain signaling.
This breakthrough finding comes just as the FDA approved a new pain drug, suzetrigine (developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals), which works by blocking Nav1.8 in the same way CBD, CBG, and CBN do. The FDA's decision to greenlight suzetrigine strengthens the case for cannabinoids as legitimate, science-backed alternatives for pain management.
The study, which can be accessed here, reveals that CBD, CBG, and CBN reduce pain by inhibiting the excitability of peripheral sensory neurons -- the nerve cells responsible for transmitting pain signals from the body to the brain.
At the center of this process is Nav1.8, a voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channel found in peripheral nerves. Nav1.8 plays a crucial role in pain perception because of its ability to quickly recover from inactivation and sustain repetitive pain signals. By effectively blocking Nav1.8, these cannabinoids help reduce pain sensation at its source.
Among the three cannabinoids studied, CBG showed the greatest potential, demonstrating a strong ability to suppress neuron excitability and inhibit pain signaling. This positions CBG as a promising natural pain reliever that warrants further research and clinical trials.
The FDA's recent approval of suzetrigine, an oral pain reliever that also targets and blocks Nav1.8, underscores the validity of cannabinoid-based pain relief. You can read more about the FDA's decision here.
Suzetrigine has been cleared for moderate-to-severe acute pain, meaning that the FDA acknowledges Nav1.8 inhibition as an effective approach to pain management. Given that CBD, CBG, and CBN operate through the same mechanism, this approval reinforces the legitimacy of these cannabinoids as alternative pain treatments.
While suzetrigine is a synthetic pharmaceutical, CBD, CBG, and CBN offer a plant-based, natural alternative. Cannabinoids may also provide additional benefits beyond pain relief, including anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and anxiety-reducing properties.
Here is how cannabinoids compare to the newly approved drug:
With Nav1.8 inhibition now recognized as an effective way to treat pain, this study paves the way for cannabinoid-based pain relief to gain mainstream medical acceptance. While the pharmaceutical industry is focusing on synthetic solutions like suzetrigine, cannabinoids such as CBG offer a natural and potentially safer alternative.
This research also supports future clinical trials for cannabinoids in pain management therapies -- a crucial step toward making CBD, CBG, and CBN more widely accepted in medical settings.
The FDA's approval of suzetrigine is a landmark moment that indirectly validates the effectiveness of cannabinoids like CBD, CBG, and CBN for pain relief. As more research emerges, it is becoming increasingly clear that cannabinoids may be just as effective -- if not more -- than their pharmaceutical counterparts in treating pain.
With CBG showing the strongest potential in blocking pain signals, this cannabinoid could become a game-changer in natural pain relief solutions. The question now is whether the FDA will eventually recognize cannabinoids as legitimate alternatives to prescription painkillers.