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2026, Vol: 10, Issue: 4
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Review Article
Online Published: 22 Jan 2026
 


Therapeutic potential and safety profile of cannabinoids in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Naif Yahya M. Alshahrani, Abdulrahman Mamdoh Alghamdi, Arwa Ahmad Hamzah, Faisal Salem Ghandourah, Mohammed Abdullah Alqahtani, Ghusoon Hadi Alzubaidi, Ali Mohammed Abufour, Abdulaziz Yahya Moafa, Taghreed Alnahari, Mohammad Al Mohaini, Dai Samran Almutairi, Rakan Nasser Alruwaili.


Abstract
This occurs as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition that is marked by problems in social interaction, communication, and behavior, and has limited pharmacological interventions that address the core symptoms of the condition. It has suggested cannabinoids as a possible treatment option since it has anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, and neuroprotective effects. It was a meta-analysis and systematic review on cannabis extracts designed to determine the efficacy and safety of cannabis extracts on behavioral, social, and communication outcomes in ASD children. The relevant studies that measured cannabis-based interventions in patients with autism in terms of their impact were found in a complete literature search in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. A total of 8 studies were used as they fit the inclusion criteria and were modeled in Jamovi using a random-effects model. Cannabis extract treatment conditions were linked with noticeable advancements in social responsiveness, as indicated by a decrease in Social Responsiveness Scale 2nd Edition (SRS-2) scores (MD = −3.33, 95% CI −5.54 −1.12, p = 0.003), and adaptive functioning, as indicated by higher Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale3rd Edition (VABS-3) scores (MD = 6.07, 95% CI 3.22-8. Also, hyperactivity and anxiety had been noted to improve in about 71 and 67 percent of the patients, respectively. The safety profile was generally favorable, as it mainly included sleeping (9%), loss of appetite (8%), gastrointestinal dis comfort (7%), and increased appetite (5%). All in all, the use of cannabis extracts seems to have the potential to benefit socially, adaptively, with regard to attention and anxiety in persons with ASD, with a reasonable degree of tolerability. Nevertheless, additional quality random controlled trials are required to validate these results and introduce standard treatment courses.

Key words: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Cannabidiol (CBD), Cannabinoids, Endocannabinoid System (ECS), Social Communication.


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Alshahrani NYM, Alghamdi AM, Hamzah AA, Ghandourah FS, Alqahtani MA, Alzubaidi GH, Abufour AM, Moafa AY, Alnahari T, Mohaini MA, Almutairi DS, Alruwaili RN. Therapeutic potential and safety profile of cannabinoids in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. IJMDC. 2026; 10(2): 761-770. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765760105

Web Style

Alshahrani NYM, Alghamdi AM, Hamzah AA, Ghandourah FS, Alqahtani MA, Alzubaidi GH, Abufour AM, Moafa AY, Alnahari T, Mohaini MA, Almutairi DS, Alruwaili RN. Therapeutic potential and safety profile of cannabinoids in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. https://www.ijmdc.com/?mno=303224 [Access: February 23, 2026]. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765760105

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Alshahrani NYM, Alghamdi AM, Hamzah AA, Ghandourah FS, Alqahtani MA, Alzubaidi GH, Abufour AM, Moafa AY, Alnahari T, Mohaini MA, Almutairi DS, Alruwaili RN. Therapeutic potential and safety profile of cannabinoids in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. IJMDC. 2026; 10(2): 761-770. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765760105


Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Alshahrani NYM, Alghamdi AM, Hamzah AA, Ghandourah FS, Alqahtani MA, Alzubaidi GH, Abufour AM, Moafa AY, Alnahari T, Mohaini MA, Almutairi DS, Alruwaili RN. Therapeutic potential and safety profile of cannabinoids in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. IJMDC. (2026), [cited February 23, 2026]; 10(2): 761-770. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765760105


Harvard Style

Alshahrani, N. Y. M., Alghamdi, . A. M., Hamzah, . A. A., Ghandourah, . F. S., Alqahtani, . M. A., Alzubaidi, . G. H., Abufour, . A. M., Moafa, . A. Y., Alnahari, . T., Mohaini, . M. A., Almutairi, . D. S. & Alruwaili, . R. N. (2026) Therapeutic potential and safety profile of cannabinoids in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. IJMDC, 10 (2), 761-770. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765760105


Turabian Style

Alshahrani, Naif Yahya M., Abdulrahman Mamdoh Alghamdi, Arwa Ahmad Hamzah, Faisal Salem Ghandourah, Mohammed Abdullah Alqahtani, Ghusoon Hadi Alzubaidi, Ali Mohammed Abufour, Abdulaziz Yahya Moafa, Taghreed Alnahari, Mohammad Al Mohaini, Dai Samran Almutairi, and Rakan Nasser Alruwaili. 2026. Therapeutic potential and safety profile of cannabinoids in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 10 (2), 761-770. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765760105


Chicago Style

Alshahrani, Naif Yahya M., Abdulrahman Mamdoh Alghamdi, Arwa Ahmad Hamzah, Faisal Salem Ghandourah, Mohammed Abdullah Alqahtani, Ghusoon Hadi Alzubaidi, Ali Mohammed Abufour, Abdulaziz Yahya Moafa, Taghreed Alnahari, Mohammad Al Mohaini, Dai Samran Almutairi, and Rakan Nasser Alruwaili. "Therapeutic potential and safety profile of cannabinoids in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 10 (2026), 761-770. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765760105


MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Alshahrani, Naif Yahya M., Abdulrahman Mamdoh Alghamdi, Arwa Ahmad Hamzah, Faisal Salem Ghandourah, Mohammed Abdullah Alqahtani, Ghusoon Hadi Alzubaidi, Ali Mohammed Abufour, Abdulaziz Yahya Moafa, Taghreed Alnahari, Mohammad Al Mohaini, Dai Samran Almutairi, and Rakan Nasser Alruwaili. "Therapeutic potential and safety profile of cannabinoids in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 10.2 (2026), 761-770. Print. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765760105


APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Alshahrani, N. Y. M., Alghamdi, . A. M., Hamzah, . A. A., Ghandourah, . F. S., Alqahtani, . M. A., Alzubaidi, . G. H., Abufour, . A. M., Moafa, . A. Y., Alnahari, . T., Mohaini, . M. A., Almutairi, . D. S. & Alruwaili, . R. N. (2026) Therapeutic potential and safety profile of cannabinoids in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 10 (2), 761-770. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765760105




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