Cardiovascular effect of cannabis sativa oil on hypertensive rats

LUISA F. GONZÁLEZ ARBELÁEZ; CAVALLI F; CIOCCI A; MOSCA SM; GODOY COTO J; ARANDA O; VELEZ RUEDA O; ENNIS IL; PEREYRA E; FANTINELLI JC; COLMAN LERNER E; PINILLA O

Congreso; XXXV Reunión Anual organizada por la Asociación Latinoamericana de Ciencias Fisiológicas y la Sociedad Chilena de Ciencias Fisiológicas; 2020

Introduction: Cannabis sativa oil has been used for different medical purposeslike pain relief or refractory epilepsy treatment. Its main pharmacologicalcomponents are Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol(THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). CBD, through the endocannabinoid-system receptors(CB1 and CB2) has cardioprotective effects against inflammatory and oxidativedamage. However, the effect of Cannabis sativa oil on hypertensive cardiachypertrophy (CH) remains unclear. In CH dysfunctional mitochondria may producedeleterious effects on heart function.Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the activation of theendocannabinoid system attenuates CH and improves myocardial mitochondriafunction 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 1month to TR. We measured CH by weighting and by ultrasound and mitochondrialmembrane potential by spectrofluorometry. Data are presented as mean±SEM andWelch?s t-test was used for statistical differences (p<0.05). Protocols wereapproved by the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals Committee of ourinstitution.Results: CH, determined by left ventricular weight/tibia length ratio, wasreduced 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 showedexclusively in TR: 24.7% reduction in LV mass (p<0,05) and a significantdecrease in LV wall thickness (from 1,85 ± 0,01 to 1,58 ± 0,02) without changesin LV diastolic dimension and arterial pressure. Mitochondrial membranepotential 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 withCannabis sativa oil in SHR is effective to reduce CH and improve themitochondrial membrane potential, possibly traducing into better mitochondrialfunction.Acknowledgements: This work was supported by PICT 2016-1964