Investigating the effects of cannabinoids for the reduction of inflammation and sickle cell disease pain (CRISP); A protocol for a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study.

Publisher: Public Library of Science Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101285081 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1932-6203 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 19326203 NLM ISO Abbreviation: PLoS One Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: San Francisco, CA : Public Library of Science

Anemia, Sickle Cell*/complications ; Anemia, Sickle Cell*/drug therapy ; Inflammation*/drug therapy ; Dronabinol*/therapeutic use ; Cannabinoids*/therapeutic use ; Chronic Pain*/drug therapy ; Chronic Pain*/etiology ; Pain*/drug therapy ; Pain*/etiology; Pain Management/methods ; Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Male ; Adult ; Female

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a hemoglobinopathy affecting millions of people globally. Pain, both acute and chronic, affects over half of those living with SCD, but treatment of chronic pain is an ongoing challenge. While opioid treatments are widely used for chronic pain, it's efficacy is limited, so alternatives must be explored. This protocol outlines a procedure for investigation of dronabinol, an FDA-approved synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), for the treatment of pain in patients living with SCD and chronic pain. The study is an 8-week, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study which aims to assess both the efficacy and safety of this opioid alternative to pain treatment. The study will also track biomarkers of inflammation as THC has demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties, and inflammation is a driver of SCD pain and disease severity. Results from this study have the potential to further clinical understanding of cannabinoids for pain management in Sickle Cell Disease treatment and spark new questions for research.
(Copyright: © 2026 Bellis et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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7J8897W37S (Dronabinol)
0 (Cannabinoids)

Date Created: 20260128 Date Completed: 20260128 Latest Revision: 20260201

20260201

PMC12851442

10.1371/journal.pone.0340917

41604381