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PharmGKB · ClinPGx

Cannabidiol Pathway, Pharmacokinetics

PA166227081 Last updated December 2020 Oreschak Kris, Henthorn Thomas K, Thorn Caroline F, Whirl-Carrillo Michelle
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Reactions
Cannabidiol Pathway, Pharmacokinetics pathway diagram
Cannabidiol Pathway, Pharmacokinetics — pathway diagram from PharmGKB / ClinPGx
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About this pathway

Cannabidiol, CBD, a phytocannabinoid found in the Cannabis sativa plant, possesses a wide-range of therapeutic benefits, including anticonvulsant, antiemetic, and anti-inflammatory properties. In the United States, cannabidiol is FDA approved under the brand name Epidiolex® to treat two rare forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.

Pharmacokinetics

The overall bioavailability of cannabidiol is low (11-45%), due in part to poor absorption and a significant first-pass effect [Article:2937482]. To date, cannabidiol has not been identified as a substrate for any drug transporters; however, it inhibits SLC29A1 [Article:16672367] and ABCC1 [Article:18619955]. The inhibitory effect of cannabidiol on ABCB1 and ABCG2 is less clear and may depend on the length of CBD exposure and the cell type [Articles:16458258, 16439618, 32256321, 24058883, 17906686, 23933222]. Cannabidiol is extensively metabolized in the liver by a variety of cytochrome P450 enzymes, CYP450, to approximately 40 metabolites [Articles:2336840, 21704641]. The primary metabolic pathways of cannabidiol are hydroxylation at the 4, 6, and 7 positions. CYP2C19 catalyzes the formation of the major metabolites 7-hydroxycannabidiol (7-OH-CBD) and 6alpha-hydroxycannabidiol, whereas CYP3A4 carries out the hydroxylation of cannabidiol to 6beta-hydroxycannabidiol and 4”-hydroxycannabidiol [Article:21704641]. Glucuronidation of cannabidiol at the phenolic oxygen by UGT1A7, UGT1A9, and UGT2B7 has been described as an additional route of biotransformation ([Article:19339377]; Epidiolex® package insert; Radominska-Pandya et al. 2008 Human hepatic and extrahepatic UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGTs) enzymes involved in the metabolism of cannabinoids. FASEB J, 2008. Volume 22, Issue S1 page 711.4). The major metabolite 7-OH-CBD is slightly less active than cannabidiol, whereas 7-carboxycannabidiol is not active ([Article:2993595], Epidiolex®package insert). In vitro data suggests cannabidiol inhibits a number of CYP450 enzymes, including CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1, CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and CYP3A7, as well as the phase II metabolizing enzymes UGT1A9 and UGT2B7 [Articles:26187180, 20117100, 22166891, 23318708, 21356216, 21821735, 23230132]. Elimination of cannabidiol is primarily via the feces, with minimal renal clearance occurring (Epidiolex®package insert).

Reactions & interactions (62)

  • Biochemical Reaction
    cannabidiol 7-hydroxycannabidiol
  • Biochemical Reaction
    7-hydroxycannabidiol 7-carboxy cannabidiol
  • Biochemical Reaction
    cannabidiol 2''-hydroxycannabidiol
  • Biochemical Reaction
    cannabidiol 5''-hydroxycannabidiol
  • Biochemical Reaction
    cannabidiol 4''-hydroxycannabidiol
  • Biochemical Reaction
    cannabidiol cannabidiol-O-glucuronide
  • Biochemical Reaction
    cannabidiol 6alpha-hydroxycannabidiol
  • Biochemical Reaction
    cannabidiol 6beta-hydroxycannabidiol
  • Biochemical Reaction
    cannabidiol 3''-hydroxycannabidiol
  • Biochemical Reaction
    cannabidiol 1''-hydroxycannabidiol
  • Catalysis
    CYP1A2 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP3A5 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2C9 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2C19 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2D6 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP1A1 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP3A4 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP3A4 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2D6 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP1A2 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP3A5 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP3A4 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2D6 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP1A2 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2C9 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP3A4 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP1A2 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2C9 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP3A5 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2C19 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2D6 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    UGT1A7 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    UGT2B7 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    UGT1A9 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2C9 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP3A5 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2C19 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP1A1 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP1A2 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP3A4 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2D6 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2D6 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP3A5 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2C19 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP1A1 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP1A2 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP3A4 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP2C9 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP3A5 Biochemical Reaction
  • Catalysis
    CYP1A2 Biochemical Reaction
  • Showing first 50 of 62 reactions — full data preserved in database.

Edit history (1)

  • 2020-12-01 Create
Cannabidiol Pathway, Pharmacokinetics pathway diagram (enlarged)