Cannabis use could cause harmful drug interactions

Cannabis use could cause harmful drug interactions

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/12/211213095020.htm

Date:
December 13, 2021
Source:
Washington State University
Summary:
Using cannabis alongside other drugs may come with a significant risk of harmful drug-drug interactions, new research suggests. The researchers looked at cannabinoids--a group of substances found in the cannabis plant -- and their major metabolites found in cannabis users' blood and found that they interfere with two families of enzymes that help metabolize a wide range of drugs prescribed for a variety of conditions. As a result, either the drugs' positive effects might decrease or their negative effects might increase with too much building up in the body, causing unintended side effects such as toxicity or accidental overdose. While more research needs to be done, the authors said one early takeaway from these studies is that it's important to be careful when using cannabis with other prescription drugs.