Cardiovascular effect of cannabis sativa oil on hypertensive rats

GODOY COTO J; GONZÁLEZ ARBELÁEZ LF; FANTINELLI JC; CAVALLI F; ARANDA J; COLLMAN LERNER; CIOCCI PARDO A; VELEZ RUEDA O; PINILLA O; MOSCA SM; ENNIS IL

La Plata

Congreso; SCHCF+ALACF2020 Joint meeting; 2020

Introduction: Cannabis sativa oil has been used for different medical purposes like pain relief or refractory epilepsy treatment. Its main pharmacological components are Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). CBD, through the endocannabinoid-system receptors (CB1 and CB2) has cardioprotective effects against inflammatory and oxidative damage. However, the effect of Cannabis sativa oil on hypertensive cardiac hypertrophy (CH) remains unclear. In CH dysfunctional mitochondria may produce deleterious effects on heart function.Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the activation of the endocannabinoid system attenuates CH and improves myocardial mitochondria function in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).Methods: Three month old male SHR were randomized into treated (TR, n=4) and control (CR, n=4). and Cannabis sativa oil was orally administered for 1 month to TR. We measured CH by weighting and by ultrasound and mitochondrial membrane potential by spectrofluorometry. Data are presented as mean±SEM and Welch?s t-test was used for statistical differences (p<0.05). Protocols were approved by the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals Committee of our institution.Results: CH, determined by left ventricular weight/tibia length ratio, was reduced by treatment (mg/mm, TR: 28.28±0.58; CR: 32.31±1.1, p<0,05). Comparison of cardiac ultrasounds at the beginning and end of treatment showed exclusively in TR: 24.7% reduction in LV mass (p<0,05) and a significant decrease in LV wall thickness (from 1,85 ± 0,01 to 1,58 ± 0,02) without changes in LV diastolic dimension and arterial pressure. Mitochondrial membrane potential was improved by treatment (in mV, TR: -165.9±3.05; CR: -150.6±4.47, p<0,05).Conclusion: Based on these results we propose that a 1-month treatment with Cannabis sativa oil in SHR is effective to reduce CH and improve the mitochondrial membrane potential, possibly traducing into better mitochondrial function.Acknowledgements: This work was supported by PICT 2016-1964