Cannabinoids, particularly those found in cannabis such as cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), have been investigated for their potential role in supporting or treating Inflammatory Bowel Disorders (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The rationale comes from the presence of cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) in the gastrointestinal tract, which are involved in modulating inflammation, motility, and pain. Preclinical studies in animal models have demonstrated that cannabinoids can reduce intestinal inflammation and modulate immune responses.

However, the clinical evidence in humans is limited and mixed. Small-scale clinical trials and observational studies suggest that cannabinoids may help alleviate some symptoms of IBD, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. For example, a few trials have reported improved quality of life and reduced symptom scores in patients using cannabis-based products. Nonetheless, these studies often suffer from methodological limitations, including small sample sizes, lack of blinding, short duration, and reliance on subjective measures rather than objective markers of inflammation.

Systematic reviews and major gastroenterology societies generally conclude that while cannabinoids may provide symptomatic relief for some IBD patients, there is insufficient high-quality evidence to recommend their use as a primary or adjunctive treatment for controlling disease activity or achieving remission. More robust, large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to clarify their efficacy and safety in IBD management.