The most common methods of consuming a Medical Cannabis include inhalation, oral induction (edibles and tinctures), and topical creams and lotions. Medical providers have traditionally stayed away from cannabis suppositories under the assumption that they don’t offer enough bioavailability. But new research is challenging that thinking.
Bioavailability, which is essentially the ability of the body to absorb certain substances, impacts whether medications are useful. A medication with poor bioavailability does not get absorbed into the system in high enough concentrations to make a difference. On the other hand, a substance with high bioavailability is readily absorbed.
According to the Cannigma’s Elana Kirsch and Codi Peterson, studies from back in the 1980s and ’90s suggested that cannabinoids had very low bioavailability when introduced as suppositories. As such, not a lot of attention has been given to suppositories over the last four decades.
Researchers have once again taken up the bioavailability question in relation to cannabis suppositories. One of the more recently published studies compared suppositories against vaporized products and edibles in the form of tablets. What the researchers found directly contradicts older studies.
Their small-scale study enrolled just 12 volunteers who were given eight different products to try. Those products included sublingual tablets, vaporizer products, and suppositories. Blood samples were collected from each volunteer and tested subsequent to being medicated.
As expected, the highest rates of bioavailability were observed among the vaporizer products. The study confirms that inhaling cannabinoids is the fastest and most effective way to utilize Medical Cannabis. But surprisingly, the researchers also discovered the bioavailability between the sublingual tablets and suppositories was comparable. In other words, the suppositories worked about as well as the tablets.
Intrigued by this research, the Cannigma team decided to conduct their own survey-based research. They got together with MoreBetter to test a particular CBD suppository made with a full extract cannabis oil. They enrolled 100 women over an 8-week test period, focusing mainly on whether the suppositories would have any impact on menstrual symptoms.
It turns out that the suppositories improved patient pain scores by 55%. According to the Cannigma:
Even though the researchers enrolled 100 participants in contrast to the previous study’s 12, the results are considered unscientific due to a lack of clinical controls. Still, the results are pretty compelling. They provide a foundation for the support of cannabis suppositories for certain conditions.
A key takeaway here is that offering patients different options for delivery methods is a good thing. In some cases, vaping products are ideal because they deliver a maximum amount of medication in the quickest time. Vaping may be the best choice for a person experiencing chronic pain on a daily basis.
On the other hand, edibles can be a very good choice for someone looking to take the edge from their symptoms while they are at work. Edibles work more slowly, but they offer more consistent relief over longer periods of time.
This preliminary research indicates that suppositories also have a place at the Medical Cannabis table. Perhaps it is time that we start giving them a bit more attention. Who knows? Some patients may try suppositories and ultimately decide they are the best option of all.
