Pharmacotherapy: The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy (February, 2021)

This review article analyzed the effects of food on CBD pharmacokinetics. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid, is increasingly used to treat a variety of conditions. The bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of CBD are poorly understood and proper dosing regimens have not been developed for its clinical use.

CBD is a lipophilic molecule and exhibits low solubility in water, so the nature of the food is expected to influence its absorption in the gastrointestinal tract and subsequent plasma concentrations. Efficacy clinical trials of Epidiolex (FDA-approved isolated CBD solution) and 44 datasets of other clinical trials of isolated CBD were systematically analyzed for quantitative analysis in terms of administration method, dosing schedules and patient characteristics. After normalizing all pharmacokinetic data sets for dose and patient weight, CBD showed much greater bioavailability in patients after meals. For Epidiolex, postprandial administration resulted in less individual variability and more predictable pharmacokinetics.