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Innovative Medicines & Omics

PERSPECTIVE ARTICLE
Medicinal cannabis delivery systems: A

perspective

Diego E. Boldrini * , and Olivia V. López 1,3
1,2
1 Pilot Plant of Chemical Engineering, National University of the South, National Scientific and
Technical Research Council, Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2 Department of Chemical Engineering, National University of the South, Bahía Blanca, Buenos
Aires, Argentina
3 Department of Chemistry, National University of the South, Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract

In recent years, cannabis derivatives have been proposed for the treatment of
various medical conditions, including pain, inflammation, epilepsy, sleep disorders,
multiple sclerosis, anorexia, schizophrenia, neurodegenerative diseases, nausea,
and cancer. While the benefits of cannabis derivatives, primarily cannabinoids,
have been demonstrated and continue to be studied, their use presents various
challenges associated with their low water solubility, rapid metabolism, erratic
and poor bioavailability, and erratic pharmacokinetics, which directly affect their
efficacy. In this context, a great deal of research is being carried out to overcome
these drawbacks by designing delivery systems capable of improving solubility/
bioavailability, potency, and efficacy, while addressing the purity and quality issues
required by the pharmaceutical industry. This article aims to critically review the
major trends and challenges in designing controlled-release cannabinoid delivery
*Corresponding author: systems and their potential application in the pharmaceutical industry.
Diego E. Boldrini
(dboldrini@plapiqui.edu.ar)
Keywords: Cannabis; Cannabinoids; Drug delivery systems
Citation: Boldrini DE, López OV.
Medicinal cannabis delivery
systems: A perspective. Innov Med
Omics. 2025;2(1):50-54.
doi: 10.36922/imo.4448 1. Introduction
Received: August 6, 2024 Cannabis plant (Cannabis sativa L.) is one of the oldest plants cultivated for food,
Revised: September 7, 2024
Accepted: October 11, 2024 fiber, and medicine. Native to western Asia, it can grow in all habitats, from sea level
Published online: October 25, to temperate zones and alpine foothills. Cannabis has been used for thousands of years
2024 to treat conditions such as asthma, epilepsy, fatigue, glaucoma, insomnia, nausea, pain,
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s). and rheumatism. First botanically classified in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus, C. sativa L.
1
This is an Open-Access article
distributed under the terms of the is an annual plant belonging to the Cannabaceae family. Later, in 1785, Jean Baptiste
Creative Commons Attribution Lamarck discovered another species which he named Cannabis indica. At present, the
License, permitting distribution, Missouri Botanical Garden recognizes 13 species, namely C. sativa, C. indica, Cannabis
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is americana, Cannabis chinensis, Cannabis erratica, Cannabis foetens, Cannabis generalis,
properly cited. Cannabis gigantea, Cannabis intersita, Cannabis kafiristanica, Cannabis lupulus,
2
Publisher’s Note: AccScience Cannabis macrosperma, and Cannabis ruderalis. Chemical composition of these species
Publishing remains neutral with has been widely studied, and approximately 500 compounds have been identified,
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional including cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, stilbenes, phenolic amides, and
affiliations. lignanamides. 3-5

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2025) 50 doi: 10.36922/imo.4448