How gel could transform cannabis treatments

What if I told you that medical cannabis could take on a new form soon? This upcoming gel could transform cannabis treatments.

PreveCeutical, a pharmaceutical company based in Vancouver, recently acquired the rights to commercialize the “Sol-Gel” technology. Sol-gel, developed by a research group at the University of Queensland in Australia, is basically a spray that emits a jet of liquid. The liquid then turns into a gel when it comes in contact with one of our inner membranes, which are tissues that line our inner bodies. Easily accessible membranes, like the inside of our nose, are likely the targets of the spray. PreveCeutical has stated that a nasal spray is a primary technology they are working towards, which means that a quick pump into our nose could deliver cannabinoids into our bodies. That said, those looking for new ways to meet medical cannabis needs could use spray bottles in the near future.

Photo by: Cottonbro

Why Gel Over Other Cannabis Treatments?

So what exactly are the advantages of the sol-gel spray over other forms of cannabis treatment? For the most part, different cannabis strains have different bioavailabilities when passing through our bodies. Edibles and other oral forms of cannabis have one of the lowest bioavailabilities, averaging 4 to 20 percent. This means that only a fraction of the CBD actually makes it into the bloodstream when it passes through our digestive system. Inhaling cannabis is much better, averaging 27 to 60 percent. The problem is that inhaled forms of cannabis are most likely to be banned by landlords. So for tenants there is a good chance that your living space will not be able to light up, which is quite inconvenient.

The new gel spray from PreveCeutical could bypass these problems quite well. The gel sticks to your inner membrane so it isn’t lost through digestion like oral alternatives. Plus, it’s a spray so rental companies can’t stop you from using it like smoking and vaping. PreveCeutical has also refined the spray to make it more effective than traditional nasal sprays. The gel-based solution bypasses many of the nose’s natural self-cleaning mechanisms, resulting in higher bioavailability.

Once the spray hits the market, we could use it to treat a variety of different health problems. PreveCeutical intends sol-gel for “Pain, Inflammation, Seizures and Neurological Disorders”.

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