The natural world is full of potential sources of medical treatment. Most of our modern medicine has been derived from it at one point or another specifically for this reason. Science worked to isolate what actually worked in known treatments and increase the potency so that we benefited more from treating disease. Our lives are longer and healthier as a result. We keep expanding our search into potentially healthy compounds as a result. Most of the time this isn’t a problem for anyone, but sometimes it can reach a gray area. Cannabidiol is a good example. The compound is found in cannabis, an otherwise illegal plant, but at the same time, it isn’t the compound associated with the negative effects touted for the plant. Cannabidiol may actually be the true sources of some of the health benefits noticed in cannabis itself and isolating it from the plant may be a way to use it in broader treatment as it has many potential benefits.

Relaxing The Mind
Cannabidiol is actually fairly interesting in that it has been shown to have a number of positive effects for the mind. Notably, it has been shown to have a noticeable effect in helping to manage anxiety. The treatment has been shown to be effective in both animal and human models. Modern life is stressful in its own right, yes, but this has particularly beneficial applications for people with chronic anxiety from heritage or trauma. Further supporting this is studies that show there is an antipsychotic effect as well. This effect is a little less well documented, but still exists. An antipsychotic effect is useful for helping with disturbed sleep as well as more dramatic manifestations of mental disorder. In general, this makes cannabidiol an excellent candidate for offering mental health a safe and effective treatment for a number of disorders.

Protecting The Mind
While the substance does have benefits in mental health, the potential benefits to the mind don’t stop there. There is plenty of evidence that cannabidiol actually reduces the frequency of seizures. However, we should note that the actual method of by which the compound interferes with seizures isn’t fully known. These studies also do not lay out a very clear model for the actual efficacy of cannabidiol in the treatment of seizures and instead focus simply on the fact that it can be used in the first place. While the protection from seizures needs a little more research, the same cannot be said of the protection the compound offers against neurodegenerative conditions. In fact, cannabidiol is so known for the positive impact it has on countering such conditions that some drugs used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis already use it. Studies show it has promising use when it comes to treating other such diseases and conditions like Alzheimer’s as well.

Known and Safe
Even though cannabis itself is considered illegal in the United States, derivatives from the plant have legitimate medical applications that would benefit from further study. There are other potential benefits beyond the ones we’ve discussed and there is no real reason for it to be difficult to further study cannabidiol. The compound is known to be safe by science and have none of the negative impacts associated with recreational use of cannabis. It is known, however, to have the benefits. The plant itself is subject to an increasing pressure to ensure that medical use is legal. Regardless of these efforts, cannabidiol should be further studied and supported to clarify all the potential benefits for our health. It’s known safety and the fact that it is already in use around the globe mean it has great potential for improving many people’s quality of life.

Almost all of our medicine is derived in some way from the natural world. Much like with cannabidiol, we found out what compound in a plant was actually helpful, isolated it, and began to use it actively to improve our lives. There are some issues still left in at least the United States when it comes to production and active use of it as a compound in some areas. These will hopefully be resolved eventually as the potential for improved health for all is quite high.