Abstract
Six male and four female healthy volunteers were given oral placebo (glucose capsule and orange juice), cannabidiol (CBD 200 mg capsule and orange juice), alcohol (1 g/kg in orange juice and glucose capsule), and CBD (200 mg capsule) plus alcohol (1 g/kg in orange juice) in a double-blind, crossover, randomized design. Treatments were spaced one week apart. Parameters measured were a finger tap test (motor performance), cancellation and differential aptitude tests (psychomotor performance), a 1-min time production task, subjective effects (66 item adjective-pair semantic differential), and breathalyzer estimations of blood alcohol levels. Compared to placebo, alcohol and alcohol plus CBD, but not CBD alone, produced significant impairments of motor and psychomotor performances, overestimations of time production and subjective responses indicating an accurate self-perception of their intoxication and deficits. The combination of alcohol plus CBD resulted in significantly lower blood alcohol levels compared to alcohol given alone, however, there were few differences observed between the pharmacological effects of the two alcohol conditions. Thus, the inactivity of CBD, a major marijuana constituent, on motor and mental performance and effects also extends to its interaction with alcohol.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anastasi, A.: Psychological Testing, 3rd edition. New York: MacMillan 1969
Carew, D. P.: Microscopic, microchemical, and thin-layer chromatographic study of marijuana grown or confiscated in Iowa. J. Forensic. Sci. 16, 87–91 (1971)
Consroe, P., Wolkin, A.: Cannabidiol-antiepileptic drug comparisons and interactions in experimentally induced seizure in rats. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 201, 26–32 (1977)
Cunha, J. M., Carlini, E. A., Pereira, A. E., Ramos, O. L., Pimentel, C., Gagliardi, R., Sanvito, W. L., Mechoulam, R.: Chronic cannabidiol administration to healthy volunteers and to epileptic patients. Submitted for publication
Dalton, W. S., Martz, R., Lemberger, L., Rodda, B. E., Forney, R. B.: Influence of cannabidiol on Δ9-tetrahydrocanabinol effects. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. 19, 300–309 (1976)
Enzer, N., Simonson, E., Ballard, G.: The effects of small doses of alcohol on the central nervous system. Amer. J. Clin. Path. 14, 333–341 (1944)
Fisher, G., Brickman, H. R.: Multiple drug use of marijuana users. Dis. Nerv. Syst. 34, 40–43 (1973)
Halstead, W. C.: Brain and Intelligence. Chicago: University of Chicago Press 1947
Hansteen, R. W., Miller, R. D., Lonero, L., Reid, L. D., Jones, B.: Effects of cannabis and alcohol on automobile driving and psychomotor tracking. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 282, 240–256 (1976)
Hollister, L. E.: Cannabidiol and cannabinol in man. Experientia 29, 825–826 (1973)
Hollister, L. E.: Structure-activity relationship in man of cannabis constituents, and homologs and metabolites of Δ9-tetrahydrocanabinol. Pharmacology 11, 3–11 (1974)
Idestrom, C. M., Cadenius, B.: Time relations to the effects of alcohol compared to placebo. Psychopharmacologia 13, 189–200 (1968)
Karler, R., Turkanis, S. A.: The antiepileptic potential of the cannabinoids. In: The Therapeutic Potential of Marihuana, S. Cohen and R. E. Stillman, eds. New York: Plenum 1976)
Karniol, I. G., Shirakawa, I., Kasinski, N., Pfererman, A., Carlini, E. A.: Cannabidiol interferes with the effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocanabinol in man. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 28, 172–177 (1974)
Karniol, I. G., Shirakawa, I., Takahaski, R. N., Knobel, E., Musty, R. E.: Effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocanabinol in man. Pharmacology 13, 502–512 (1975)
Manno, J. E., Kiplinger, G. F., Scholz, N., Forney, R. B.: The influence of alcohol and marijuana on motor and mental performance. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. 12, 202–211 (1971)
Monti, J. M.: Hypnoticlike effects of cannabidiol in the rat. Psychopharmacologia 55, 263–265 (1977)
Nash, H.: Alcohol and Caffeine: A study of their psychological effects. Springfield: Thomas 1962
Osgood, C., Suci, G., Tannebaum, P.: The measurement of meaning. Chicago: University of Illinois Press 1957
Perez-Reyes, M., Timmons, M. C., Davis, K. H., Wall, E. M.: A comparison of the pharmacological activity in man of intravenously administered 50-5, cannabinol and cannabidiol. Experientia 29, 1368–1369 (1973)
Rafaelsen, L., Christrup, H., Bech, P., Rafaelsen, O. J.: Effects of cannabis and alcohol on psychological tests. Nature 242, 117–118 (1973)
Sack, S., Rice, C. E.: Selectivity, resistance to distraction and shifting as three attentional factors. Psychol. Rep. 34, 1003–1012 (1974)
Siemens, A. J., Kalant, H., de Nie, J. C.: Metabolic interactions between Δ9-tetrahydrocanabinol and other cannabinoids in rats. In: The pharmacology of marihuana, Vol. 1, M. C. Braude and S. Szara, eds. New York: Raven 1976
Siemens, A. J., Khanna, J. M.: Acute metabolic interactions between ethanol and cannabis. Alcoholism: Clin. Exp. Res. 1, 343–348 (1977)
Wallgren, H., Barry, H.: Actions of alcohol, Vol. 1. New York: Elsevier 1970
Weldon, R. J., Humphrey, A. B.: ANOVA 45. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press 1972
Winer, B. J.: Statistical Principles in Experimental Design, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill 1971
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported, in part, by the University of Arizona (Sabbatical Leave), a fellowship from the Fundacão de Amparo ã Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), and the National Institute on Drug Abuse grant No. DA01448
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Consroe, P., Carlini, E.A., Zwicker, A.P. et al. Interaction of cannabidiol and alcohol in humans. Psychopharmacology 66, 45–50 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00431988
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00431988