A narrative review of molecular mechanism and therapeutic effect of cannabidiol (CBD)

Abstract Cannabidiol (CBD) is an abundant non‐psychoactive phytocannabinoid in cannabis extracts which has high affinity on a series of receptors, including Type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1), Type 2 cannabinoid receptor (CB2), GPR55, transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ). By modulating the activities of these receptors, CBD exhibits multiple therapeutic effects, including neuroprotective, antiepileptic, anxiolytic, antipsychotic, anti‐inflammatory, analgesic and anticancer properties. CBD could also be applied to treat or prevent COVID‐19 and its complications. Here, we provide a narrative review of CBD's applications in human diseases: from mechanism of action to clinical trials.