Non-psychotropic cannabinoids in drug discovery and their therapeutic potential

Edited by:

Professor Federica Pellati, PhD, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy
Hang Ma, PhD, University of Rhode Island, United States
Matilde Marani, PhD, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 14 November 2025

Journal of Cannabis Research is calling for submissions to our Collection on Non-psychotropic cannabinoids in drug discovery and their therapeutic potential.

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New Content Item This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing and SDG 9: Industry & Innovation.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Professor Federica Pellati, PhD, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy
Federica Pellati is an Associate Professor in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in Italy, where she is the Principal Investigator of the research group “Natural Products for Medicinal Chemistry”. Her research is dedicated to the study of bioactive natural compounds as new leads in medicinal chemistry. Her interest is focused on the extraction and analysis of molecules from Cannabis sativa L., and on the investigation of their biological activity against hyper-proliferative disorders and central nervous system (CNS) diseases. She is the author of more than 120 papers in international scientific journals (h-index = 40 from Scopus), 2 patents and more than 100 congress communications.
Prof. Pellati is the coordinator of the degree course in Pharmacy and the Departmental delegate for international relations.

Dr. Hang Ma, PhD, University of Rhode Island, United States

Hang Ma, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the College of Pharmacy of the University of Rhode Island (URI). Dr. Ma has over 20 years of research experience in natural product chemistry. His group, the Bioactive Botanical Research Laboratory at URI, studies the phytochemical and biological effects of natural products from medicinal plants including cannabis. Dr. Ma has co-authored >110 original peer-reviewed research articles, which include over a dozen of publications on the biological activities of cannabis compounds. Dr. Ma holds his Master’s and Doctoral in Pharmaceutical Sciences from URI.

Dr. Matilde Marani, PhD, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy

Matilde Marani is a Research fellow in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in Italy, where she is associated with the research group “Natural Products for Medicinal Chemistry”. Her research is dedicated to the development of new analytical tools for the analysis of cannabinoids in plant extracts, monitoring of cannabinoids content in Cannabis sativa L. by means of chromatographic techniques with different detection systems, and to the evaluation of their biological activity in cancer treatment as well as their neuroprotective effects on central nervous system diseases.

About the Collection

The exploration of non-psychotropic cannabinoids is crucial for advancing the scientific understanding of their therapeutic potential and applications in drug discovery. As cannabinoid research continues to evolve, we are uncovering the multiple ways in which these compounds, including CBD (cannabidiol), interact either with cannabinoid receptors or with other targets to impact human health. The importance of this research is underscored by the growing interest in medical cannabis, particularly as it relates to cannabinoid therapy for various conditions.

Significant advances have already been made in this field. For instance, recent studies have demonstrated the efficacy of non-psychotropic cannabinoids in managing chronic pain, CNS diseases, inflammatory disorders and iperproliferative diseases, showcasing their potential as alternative therapies to conventional pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, the ongoing investigation into cannabinoid pharmacology has shed light on the mechanisms of action of these compounds, paving the way for more targeted and effective treatments. These breakthroughs not only contribute to the scientific community but also provide hope for patients seeking relief from debilitating conditions.

We invite researchers to contribute to this Special Collection. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Extraction and analysis of non-psychotropic cannabinoids

• Biological activity and mechanisms of action of non-psychotropic cannabinoids

• Therapeutic applications of CBD

• Cannabinoid pharmacology and receptor interaction

• Drug discovery strategies involving cannabinoids

• Clinical trials of cannabinoid therapies

• Social implications of cannabinoid use

• Innovations in cannabinoid applications.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of Original research, Commentaries, and Reviews. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal.

Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. Please, select the appropriate Collection title “Non-psychotropic cannabinoids in drug discovery and their therapeutic potential" under the “Details” tab during the submission stage.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer-review process. The peer-review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.