Protective and reparative tissular effects of CBD (cannabidiol) and immune effects

This paper intents to investigate in depth on the molecular mechanisms involved in the aging dependent tissular damage and the possible protective effect of cannabidiol CBD on these lesions in the muscle, liver, lungs and the immune system. CBD was administered for 10 weeks at the daily dosage of 10 mg/ Kg body weight / day in a special rat chow prepared for that purpose to 15 months old male Long Evans rats. Half of the animals (n=14) were given CBD during 2,5 months whereas the other half (n= 15) were given standard rat chow for the same time. Additional male rats of 2 (n=10) and 5 (n= 8) months of age fed with standard rat chow were used as young controls. Muscle, liver and lung tissues were obtained after sacrifice to investigate the gene expression by PCR and the protein expression by Western blotting of the main oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis markers. Antioxidants were measured by ELISA. In the blood and spleen several markers for immune function like NK activity, lymphoproliferation and oxidative situation were also measured. Aging is associated with the increase of markers for tissular damage that involve the enhancement of nearly all oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis parameters Chronic administration of CBD reduces significantly all these parameters in muscle, liver and lungs and potentiates the immune system increasing NK activity and lymphoproliferation and reducing also oxidative stress. CBD has demonstrated to be a very good protective substance against age generated tissular damage in muscle, liver and lungs and an immune system enhancer.