Cannabidiol Oil for Treatment-Resistant Major Depression

Summary

Major depressive disorder is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, and a substantial proportion of patients do not achieve adequate improvement with conventional antidepressant treatments. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-intoxicating cannabinoid derived from Cannabis sativa, has shown potential anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, and neurobiological effects that may be relevant for depressive disorders.

The ANANDA trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of full-spectrum cannabidiol oil as an adjunctive treatment in adults with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder.

A total of 120 participants will be randomly assigned to receive either full-spectrum cannabidiol oil or placebo for 12 weeks while maintaining stable antidepressant treatment. Clinical assessments of depressive symptoms, anxiety, sleep quality, perceived stress, and adverse effects will be performed at baseline, Week 4, and Week 12. Blood samples will be collected at baseline and after 12 weeks to investigate inflammatory and neuroendocrine biomarkers.

The primary objective is to evaluate changes in depressive symptoms after 12 weeks of treatment. Secondary objectives include the assessment of anxiety, sleep quality, perceived stress, biological markers, safety, and tolerability.

The findings of this study may contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches for treatment-resistant depression and provide additional evidence regarding the clinical use of cannabidiol in psychiatric disorders.

Conditions

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
• Treatment-resistant Depression (TRD)

Interventions

DRUG

Full-spectrum CBD oil 100 mg/mL

Full-spectrum Cannabis sativa extract containing cannabidiol (CBD) 100 mg/mL and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) 3.33 mg/mL, administered sublingually for 12 weeks according to a structured dose titration schedule. Treatment will begin with low doses and may be gradually adjusted based on clinical response and tolerability, respecting predefined safety limits established in the study protocol.

DRUG

Placebo oil (MCT oil)

Placebo comparator consisting of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil administered sublingually for 12 weeks according to the same dose titration schedule used in the experimental group. The placebo formulation is matched to the active intervention in appearance, color, viscosity, packaging, and administration conditions to maintain blinding throughout the study. Treatment adherence, tolerability, and adverse events will be monitored throughout the intervention period.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Federal University of Latin American Integration

  collaborator OTHER

• Associação Cannabis Sem Fronteiras - ACSF

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina

  lead OTHER_GOV

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

69 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-06-01

Primary Completion

2026-12-31

Completion

2026-12-31

Countries

• Brazil

Study Locations