Cannabis oil: Effects on Cannabinoid-Induced Tetrad, blood pressure and metabolic parameters in female rats fed a sucrose-rich diet

Abstract

Metabolic Syndrome (MS) is one of the most commonly used names for a clinical entity that brings together or associates different disorders that increase the risk ofcardiovascular disease. Cannabis sativa has been used as an herbal medicine for tens of centuries. This study aimed to analyze the effects of cannabis oil administrationon cannabinoid-induced tetrad, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and metabolic parameters in normal female rats fed a sucrose-rich diet (SRD). Female Wistarrats were fed with the one of following diets for 21 days: Reference Diet (RD): standard commercial laboratory diet, SRD, and SRD+Cannabis oil (SRD+Ca): oraladministration of 1 mg/kg body weight of cannabis oil daily. The full spectrum cannabis oil contains a total cannabinoid CBD:THC 2:1 ratio.Cannabis oil administration in the SRD significantly increased analgesia and decreased locomotion. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased during theexperimental protocol. In the SRD+Ca group, serum triglyceride levels decreased significantly, without changes in cholesterol and glucose levels. In addition, serumuric acid, AST, ALT and AP levels were significantly decreased. In the liver, the abnormalities of the histological sections observed in the SRD group and triglyceridesand cholesterol content improved remarkably with the cannabis oil administration. Our results suggest that the administration of full-spectrum cannabis oil, couldbe useful as a strategy to prevent some of the alterations present in MS, including hypertension, dyslipidemia, and liver damage. Furthermore, the analgesic effect ofcannabis oil could be observed in female rats fed an SRD.