Topical Cannabidiol for Treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), or compression neuropathy of the median nerve at the wrist, is the most common entrapment neuropathy affecting up to 15% of the general population Non-operative interventions for CTS include night-time splinting, physical therapy, and corticosteroid administration, however only surgery is considered a definitive treatment for CTS. There is an unmet need for novel, effective non-operative options for the treatment of CTS to provide care for patients who cannot undergo surgery for medical reasons or do not feel comfortable proceeding with a surgical option.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive minor cannabinoid component of Cannabis sativa that is emerging as a treatment to mitigate pain, numbness, and tingling associated with peripheral neuropathy. Pre-clinical data indicates that CBD acts through multiple receptors to modulate central and peripheral neuropathic signaling pathways to alleviate pain - specifically in pre-clinical models of compression neuropathy as in CTS. This pilot trial seeks to investigate whether CBD is a safe, feasible, and effective treatment for CTS in patients with confirmed mild to moderate CTS receiving standardized physiotherapy with primary endpoints assessing feasibility, symptom severity, and/or disability and also highlights the gap in knowledge regarding the clinical utility of cannabinoids

Inclusion criteria

• Provision of signed and dated informed consent form.
• Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study.
• Male or female, aged 18 years or older.
• Females of childbearing potential must have a negative urine and blood pregnancy test at Screening and a negative urine pregnancy test before study drug is administered. Females must abstain from sex or use a highly effective method of contraception during the period from Screening to administration of study drug and for 30 days after the last dose of study medication. Standard acceptable methods include abstinence or the use of a highly effective method of contraception, including; hormonal contraception, diaphragm, cervical cap, vaginal sponge, condom with spermicide, vasectomy, intrauterine device. If females are of non-child bearing potential, they must be post-menopausal defined as: age > 55 with no menses within the past 12 months, or history of hysterectomy, or history of bilateral oophorectomy, or bilateral tubal ligation.
• Males must consent to use a medically acceptable method of contraception throughout the entire study period and for 90 days after their last study drug application. They must agree to not donate sperm for 90 days after their last study drug application.
• Presence of clinical diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome with a CTS-6 score greater than 12 who have undergone electrodiagnostic testing with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome

Exclusion criteria

• Subject does not speak English.
• Subject is blind.
• Severe cardiac, pulmonary, liver and /or renal disease.
• Coumadin use at time of screening.
• History of mental illness.
• Subjects who are incarcerated.
• History of drug or substance abuse.
• Pre-existing CBD or hemp based product usage.
• Prior carpal tunnel release surgery or carpal tunnel corticosteroid injection ≤ 6 months prior.
• History of constant, unremitting numbness or tingling.
• History of thenar atrophy.
• Patients with severe changes on electrodiagnostic testing.
• Patients with a concomitant diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy, peripheral neuropathy, cubital tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic regional pain syndrome, or other upper extremity neuropathy
• Females who are pregnant, nursing or planning a pregnancy; females of childbearing potential who are unwilling or unable to use an acceptable method of contraception as outlined in this protocol from Screening to the first dose of study medication and for 30 days after the last dose of study medication. Standard acceptable methods include abstinence or the use of a highly effective method of contraception, including; hormonal contraception, diaphragm, cervical cap, vaginal sponge, condom with spermicide, vasectomy, intrauterine device.
• Any skin disease or condition, including eczema, psoriasis, melanoma, acne or contact dermatitis, scarring, imperfections, lesions, tattoos or discoloration that may affect treatment application, application site assessments, or affect absorption of the study drug.
• Subjects taking prescription or non-prescription medication which are substrates of CYP3A4 (Itraconazole, Ketoconazole, Azamulin, Troleandomycin, Verapamil, John's wart, Phenobarbital), CYP2C19 (Nootkatone, Ticlopidine, Rifampin, Omeprazole), CYP2C8 (Montelukast, Quercetin, Phenelzine, Rifampin, Clopidogrel) , CYP2C9 (Sulfaphenazole, Tienilic acid, Carbamazepine, Apalutamide, Fluconazole, Celecoxib), CYP1A2 (alpha-Naphthoflavone, Furafylline, Phenytoin, Rifampin, Ritonavir, smoking, Teriflunomide, Ciproflaoxacin, oral contraceptives, Alloprinol) and CYP2B6 (Sertraline, Phencyclidine, Thiotepa, Ticlopidine, Carbamazepine, Efavirenez, Rifampin, Bupropion) within 14 days of the study procedure.