One of the earliest scientific publications in the Western world on the medicinal properties of Cannabis was authored by the physician John Russel Reynolds, then the physician to the British crown. Reynolds made a significant contribution in 1890 in The Lancet. Undoubtedly, for him, the paper’s highlight was the analgesic actions of Cannabis stating: "To this request I very readily acceded, and have made very numerous observations of its action from that time until now; and with this general result, that Indian hemp, when pure and administered carefully, is one of the most valuable medicines we possess."

But how does Cannabis work as an analgesic? We now understand its various analgesic effects across different types of pain, mediated by THC, CBD, CBG, CBN, and other plant molecules. Many of these effects are modulated by the endocannabinoid system. The CB1 receptor, coupled to inhibitory G protein, is a main target for inducing analgesic effects, while the CB2 receptor and enzymes involved in endocannabinoid synthesis or degradation can also reduce pain.

Given its pivotal role in modulating central mechanisms and potential as a pharmacological target for a myriad of pain disorders, we invite researchers to share groundbreaking discoveries in Cannabis and Pain. Our call includes studies in vitro, in vivo, and pharmacological investigations, exploring the modulation of the endocannabinoid system and cannabis/cannabinoids' effects in pain models or patients. This encompasses original papers, reviews, case reports and clinical trials. We encourage research on pharmacological interventions to understand mechanisms and treat pain disorders.

The scope of this Research Topic includes:

1. Cutting-edge Discoveries on Endocannabinoid System Modulation: Uncovering novel findings regarding the modulation of the endocannabinoid system and its implications for pain relief.

2. Pharmacological Effects of Cannabis/Cannabinoids in Pain Management: Investigating the diverse pharmacological effects of cannabis/cannabinoids and their potential applications in pain management.

3. Clinical Trials Evaluating Efficacy: Exploring clinical trials that rigorously evaluate the efficacy of cannabis-based interventions in alleviating various forms of pain.

4. Observational Studies for Real-world Applications: Conducting observational studies that offer valuable insights into the real-world applications of cannabis/cannabinoids for pain relief.

5. Mechanistic Studies Unraveling Pain Relief Pathways: Delving into mechanistic studies that unravel the intricate pathways involved in cannabis-induced pain relief.

All the manuscripts submitted to the collection will need to fully comply with the Four Pillars of Best Practice in Ethnopharmacology (you can freely download the full version here). In case of Cannabis sativa it is particularly relevant that a full chemical profile is included, especially a quantification of the relevant cannabinoids. We also expect that the manuscript follow the standards established in the ConPhyMP statement: Front. Pharmacol. 13:953205. Please check your manuscript using the Best Practice initiative and submit the relevant files (Table 1 and 2a) with your submission.

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Frontiers in Pharmacology

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