Nature's sleep aid: Cannabinol shows promise as a safe sedative

Experts at the University of Sydney have identified a cannabis compound called cannabinol (CBN) that appears to significantly enhance sleep quality, marking an important breakthrough in the search for natural sleep aids. 

Published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, the study provides objective evidence that CBN improves sleep by altering sleep architecture, the structure of sleep phases over the night. 

Conducted by scientists at the University of Sydney’s Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, the research shows CBN’s potential to offer a non-intoxicating sleep aid, similar to yet distinct from conventional sleep medications.

Sleep-enhancing effects of cannabinol

“For decades, cannabis folklore has suggested that aged cannabis makes consumers sleepy via the buildup of CBN, but there was no convincing evidence for this,” explained lead author Jonathon Arnold, the Director of Preclinical Research at the Lambert Initiative. 

“Our study provides the first objective evidence that CBN increases sleep, at least in rats, by modifying the architecture of sleep in a beneficial way.”

Cannabinol forms as the primary intoxicating compound in cannabis, delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), breaks down over time. 

As cannabis ages, THC gradually converts to CBN, which means older cannabis typically contains higher levels of this compound. Some cannabis users have noted that older cannabis seems to produce a sleepier “high,” which has led to CBN products being marketed as sleep aids. 

In the U.S., highly purified cannabinol products are increasingly available as natural sleep aids, though scientific research on their effectiveness has been limited until now.

Cannabinol compared to traditional sleep aids

The study compared CBN’s effects on sleep with those of zolpidem, a widely used sleep drug, by measuring sleep patterns in rats. 

Using high-tech monitoring, the researchers observed significant improvements in sleep architecture with CBN, including increases in both non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. 

NREM sleep is known to promote physical recovery and memory consolidation, while REM sleep is associated with processing emotions and dreaming.

The findings show that CBN improved total sleep time in a way comparable to zolpidem, suggesting that CBN may have similar efficacy to traditional sleep aids. 

“CBN was found to increase both NREM and REM sleep, leading to increased total sleep time, with a comparable effect to the known sleep drug zolpidem,” Arnold said. 

These results may point to CBN as a viable natural alternative for those seeking sleep enhancement without the side effects that can accompany standard sleep medications.

Potential for a broader range of users

CBN also appears to offer sleep benefits without the intoxicating effects commonly associated with THC. While THC binds strongly to CB1 receptors in the brain, leading to its psychoactive effects, CBN does so only weakly, which likely accounts for its minimal intoxicating impact. 

To the researchers’ surprise, they found that a metabolite of CBN, called 11-OH CBN, had more substantial effects on CB1 receptors and seemed to impact sleep architecture. This insight suggests that CBN’s breakdown products might play an important role in its overall sleep-enhancing properties.

“This provides the first evidence that CBN indeed increases sleep using objective sleep measures,” Arnold said. 

“It was a surprise that CBN metabolism in the body can yield a much greater effect on cannabinoid CB1 receptors than the parent molecule CBN, which has much more limited activity.” 

He notes that while these findings are promising, further studies in humans are necessary to confirm whether the benefits observed in rats will translate to human sleep patterns.

Early human trials show promise

Building on these findings, a parallel human trial was conducted by Iain McGregor, Director of Clinical Research at the Lambert Initiative, with insomnia patients. 

Led by PhD student Isobel Lavender and renowned sleep researcher Camilla Hoyos from the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, the human study was structured as a placebo-controlled randomized trial, revealing promising preliminary results that were presented at recent scientific conferences.

“Our research encourages further basic and clinical research on CBN as a new treatment strategy for sleep disorders, including insomnia,” McGregor said. 

“Our clinical study only administered CBN on a single occasion. A trial on a larger scale, with repeated dosing, is the logical next step.” 

Larger studies over extended periods may reveal even more about CBN’s effects, helping researchers understand its role as a possible long-term solution for sleep issues.

Next steps in cannabinol research

Professor Arnold and his team are now exploring ways to amplify CBN’s sleep-promoting effects, including combining it with other compounds found in cannabis or with conventional sleep aids such as melatonin. 

“The team has now commenced a preclinical drug discovery program around CBN, as well as observing whether the pro-sleep effects of CBN can be further amplified by other molecules found in cannabis, or by conventional sleep aids, such as melatonin,” Arnold said.

Given the study’s promising findings, future research could open up a new realm of sleep therapeutics that leverage non-intoxicating cannabinoids for improved sleep quality. 

With sleep disorders impacting millions worldwide, a natural, non-addictive option like CBN could offer an alternative to those seeking help for sleep disturbances without the potential drawbacks of traditional medications.

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