Two hemp-derived cannabinoids could offer new treatments for the world’s most common chronic liver disorder, according to new research from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The study, published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, found that CBD (cannabidiol) and CBG (cannabigerol), significantly reduced liver fat and improved the processing of fats and sugars in laboratory models.
The findings could signal a potential new pathway for treating metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), according to the researchers. “Our study opens a new direction for exploring plant-based molecules that influence how cells manage energy and waste,” said Joseph Tam of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who led the research team.
The findings complement a growing body of research examining non-intoxicating cannabinoids and their possible health and medical applications. But the researchers stressed that further clinical trials are needed to determine whether the treatments could be used in humans.
Good or bad?
The results also add a new dimension to an ongoing debate, as health regulators in the United States and Europe have warned that CBD may actually pose safety risks to the liver.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviews and other clinical research have documented elevated liver enzyme levels in some patients taking CBD, while the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has said the compound’s safety as a food ingredient remains unresolved. EFSA recently set a sharply restrictive daily intake benchmark of just 2 milligrams of CBD per day, a level that leaves most CBD products too weak to have any meaningful effect.
Hemp is the source
CBD and CBG are cannabinoids that occur naturally in all cannabis plants, but are typically found in higher concentrations in low-THC industrial hemp varieties specifically bred to produce the compounds.
CBD is the most widely studied non-intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis, while CBG is considered a “precursor” compound from which CBD and other cannabinoids are formed. Unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive compound found in high concentrations in marijuana, neither CBD nor CBG produces intoxicating effects. Both can be increased through plant breeding and harvest timing.
Interest in such compounds has grown as researchers look beyond THC for medically useful cannabis components.
About MASLD
MASLD, also known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, affects about one-third of adults worldwide and is closely linked to obesity and insulin resistance. Few medicines are approved for the condition.
In the Israeli study, researchers found that the CBD and CBG appeared to give the liver more energy and help it clear harmful fats. CBG showed particularly strong effects, including reductions in body fat, lower cholesterol and improved insulin sensitivity, according to the research.
Evidence gap
Despite the promising signals, the study’s authors emphasized that the research remains preliminary.
The findings come at a time when pharmaceutical companies are expanding tests with cannabis-derived compounds as potential drug candidates – but also as broader reviews of cannabis research have revealed significant gaps between public perception and scientific evidence for many medical uses.
A large analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2025 reviewed more than 2,500 studies examining medical marijuana, including clinical trials and systematic reviews. That research adds to a wider debate about the medical evidence supporting cannabinoids beyond a limited number of approved treatments.
FDA has approved one medical-grade CBD drug, Epidiolex, as a treatment for severe seizure disorders in children, and other cannabinoid medications used to treat chemotherapy side effects, and appetite loss in HIV/AIDS patients.