Identifying the source of CBD’s antiseizure activity

Cannabidiol, a component of cannabis often referred to as CBD, is the key compound in Epidiolex, a treatment for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. But its mechanism of action has been mysterious. Researchers now report that CBD's ability to tame seizures may be, in part, because it inhibits the large-conductance voltage- and Ca 2+ -operated K + channel, also known as the BK channel ( J. Nat. Prod. 2024, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.3c01274 ). "One of the most interesting things about CBD is that its affinity for the cannabinoid receptor is low," says the National University of La Plata's Pedro Martín, who led the research. This characteristic of CBD is distinct from tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—the psychoactive component of cannabis. Because CBD has a low affinity for canonical cannabinoid receptors, researchers think that CBD acts on other targets, in particular, ion channels in the central nervous system. Martín's team thought the