CBD may effectively target neuroinflammation and broader immune responses by reducing pro-inflammatory pathways and elevating anti-inflammatory markers like IL-10. Human studies are beginning to explore these mechanisms.
A single-cell human study found CBD exerted anti-inflammatory effects while preserving certain immune functions (Gisch et al., 2025). Related research in systemic inflammation, such as in HIV patients, showed oral CBD shifted gene expression toward anti-inflammatory profiles (Marini et al., 2024).
Clinical observations in inflammatory bowel disease also suggest improvements tied to reduced inflammation (Irving et al., 2018). These findings highlight CBD's potential for conditions involving neuroinflammatory or immune components.
References
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Gisch, D. L., et al. (2025). Cannabidiol exerts anti-inflammatory effects but maintains T effector memory cell differentiation: A single-cell study in humans. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.30.667742
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Marini, S., et al. (2024). Oral cannabidiol treatment is associated with an anti-inflammatory gene expression signature in myeloid cells of people living with HIV. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 9(4), 1028–1037. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2023.0139
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Irving, P. M., Iqbal, T., Prasad, N., Smith, S., Wilks, M., & Higuchi, L. (2018). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, pilot study of cannabidiol-rich botanical extract in the symptomatic treatment of ulcerative colitis. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 24(4), 714–724. https://doi.org/10.1093/ibd/izy002
