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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2021.04.19.440455

Cannabidiol pretreatment attenuates locomotor alterations and cytokine production in an autoimmune hepatitis model

Mesiakaris, K.·Atsopardi, K.·Panagopoulos, N. T.·Margarity, M.·Poulas, K.
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Abstract

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a major active component of the Cannabis plant (Cannabis Sativa L.), which unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is devoid of euphoria-inducing properties. Broadly, CBD has demonstrated anxiolytic-like, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Concanavalin A (ConA) is a lectin found in the jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) and it has been associated with a variety of toxicological effects (upon them mitogenic, cytotoxic and hepatotoxic). Intravenous administration of ConA is widely used for the induction of a model to study autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) in mice and the injury is mainly driven by activation and uptake of T-cells in liver. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of CBD administration (20 mg/kg), on adult mice, on locomotor activity and inflammatory markers, upon induction of AIH by ConA administration (20 mg/kg) on Balb/C mice. Inflammatory analysis was assessed by determining the IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and INF-{gamma} levels on plasma and sickness-like behavior assessed with open-field test. The results indicate that CBD pretreatment ameliorates impaired locomotor activity. IL-2, IL-4 and INF-{gamma} levels on plasma were increased after ConA intoxication (inflammation index) and were reduced when mice were pre-treated with CBD. The detected IL-10 levels were increased when CBD pretreated, suggesting a protective anti-inflammatory effect.

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Mesiakaris, K., Atsopardi, K., Panagopoulos, N. T., Margarity, M., Poulas, K.. 2021-04-20. Cannabidiol pretreatment attenuates locomotor alterations and cytokine production in an autoimmune hepatitis model. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.04.19.440455

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