# Functional efficacy of cannabidiol in modulating the adverse effects of heroin in primates.

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2024 · $232,499

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The recent marked increase in misuse and abuse of opioids and the epidemic of opioid overdose mortality
have greatly affected our society and global community. Given that non-human primate models offer the most
phylogenetically appropriate evaluation of opioid receptor functions and drug effects, the goal of this proposal
is to determine the functional efficacy and selectivity of cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating constituent of cannabis,
in ameliorating heroin-associated side effects in primates. Previous studies demonstrate that cannabidiol
reduced reinstatement of heroin-seeking behavior specifically triggered by a prior drug-associated cue in
rodents. The proposal will further investigate the funcitional profiles of cannbidiol as compared to clinically used
medications, naltrexone and buprenorphine, in modulating two major aspects of opioid-induced adverse
effects, i.e., abuse liability and respiratory depression. The proposal contains two aims: 1) To determine the
functional efficacy and selectivity of cannabidiol to attenuate the abuse-related effects of heroin, and 2) To
determine the functional effectiveness of cannabidiol to modulate heroin-induced respiratory depression.
These non-human primate behavioral assays have been designed specifically to reflect the therapeutic
potential of the test compound along with clinically used medications for modulating opioid-assoicated abuse
liability and adverse effects and assess its functional efficacy and selectivity. Our unique set of behavioral and
physiological assays in awake, behaving non-human primates, in combination with the rigorious
pharmacological desgin and analysis, provides a translational relevance to advance our understanding of
potential therapeutic of cannabidiol in modulating the abuse liability and adverse effects of heroin and sheds
light on future clinical interventions and the treatment options for opioid abuse.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11250396
- **Project number:** 7R21DA057513-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** MEI-CHUAN KO
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $232,499
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2024-08-01 → 2028-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11250396

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11250396, Functional efficacy of cannabidiol in modulating the adverse effects of heroin in primates. (7R21DA057513-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11250396. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*