Medical food development by dietetic management of the endocannabinoid system through dietary sources of β-caryophyllene

Abstract

Objective: To research the biological impact on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) from dietary sources of $\beta$ -caryophyllene (BCP). This will encompass pre-clinical and clinical research for BCP. The bioavailability of BCP will be explored, focusing on bioavailability improvement. This research will establish if there is justification to warrant the development of a medical food for supporting the ECS through dietetic supplementation of BCP. Methods: Research and review papers were identified through the search engines Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. Main keywords included $\beta$ -caryophyllene, endocannabinoid system, dietary cannabinoids, cannabinoid type-2 receptor, and bioavailability. Results: The human body is limited in the digestion of BCP from food. This is because BCP is poorly absorbed in the gut. Everyone has different underlying endocannabinoid efficiency and most people do not have the full potential of supporting their ECS through diet. Conclusion: A medical food can be developed to use BCP with a delivery system, so that the bioactive food cannabinoid is readily absorbed. This will deliver dietary support to the ECS, that otherwise would be available from food. This review provides insight into the efficacy of using BCP in medical foods as dietary support for the ECS. Supporting the ECS can assist in maintaining homeostasis, regulating immune function, pain intensity, inflammatory markers, sleep patterns, mood, appetite, and stress susceptibility.