Cannabidiol Improves Antioxidant Capacity and Reduces Inflammation in the Lungs of Rats with Monocrotaline-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension

Abstract:

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a plant-derived compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
properties. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is still an incurable disease. CBD has been suggested
to ameliorate monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PH, including reduction in right ventricular systolic
pressure (RVSP), a vasorelaxant effect on pulmonary arteries and a decrease in the white blood cell
count. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of chronic administration of CBD (10 mg/kg
daily for 21 days) on the parameters of oxidative stress and inflammation in the lungs of rats with
MCT-induced PH. In MCT-induced PH, we found a decrease in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and
glutathione level (GSH), an increase in inflammatory parameters, e.g., tumor necrosis factor alpha
(TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1
(MCP-1), and cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68), and the overexpression of cannabinoid receptors
type 1 and 2 (CB1
-Rs, CB2
-Rs). Administration of CBD increased TAC and GSH concentrations,
glutathione reductase (GSR) activity, and decreased CB1
-Rs expression and levels of inflammatory
mediators such as TNF-α, IL -1β, NF-κB, MCP-1 and CD68. In conclusion, CBD has antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory effects in MCT-induced PH. CBD may act as an adjuvant therapy for PH, but
further detailed preclinical and clinical studies are recommended to confirm our promising results