Cannabidiol-loaded poly lactic-co-glycolic acid nanoparticles with improved bioavailability as a potential for osteoarthritis therapeutic

Abstract

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid from cannabis sativa that has demonstrated efficacious against inflammation, which can be considered as a potential drug for arthritis treatment. However, the poor solubility and low bioavailability limit its clinical application. Here, we report an effective strategy to fabricate CBD-loaded poly lactic-co-glycolic acid nanoparticles (CBD-PLGA-NPs). The CBD-PLGA-NPs exhibited a spherical morphology and an average diameter of 238 nm. CBD was sustained release from CBD-PLGA-NPs, which improved the bioavailability of CBD. Primary chondrocytes from rat pups were isolated, and LPS was used to induce inflammation in vitro to simulate osteoarthritis (OA). The CBD-PLGA-NPs effectively protect the damage of LPS to cell viability. What’s more, according to the results of CCK-8 assay, hematoxylin-eosin staining, safranin O staining, immunofluorescence staining, and real-time polymerase chain reaction assay, we observed that CBD-PLGA-NPs significantly suppressed LPS-induced primary rat chondrocyte expression of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP-13). Remarkably, CBD-PLGA-NPs also showed better therapeutic effects of inhibiting the degradation of the extracellular matrix of chondrocytes than equivalent CBD solution. In general, the fabrication CBD-PLGA-NPs showed good protection of primary chondrocytes in vitro and is a promising system for osteoarthritis treatment. Significance of the study Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid from cannabis sativa that has demonstrated efficacious against inflammation, which can be considered as a potential drug for arthritis treatment. In order to improve the poor solubility and low bioavailability of CBD, we described the development of simple and efficient CBD-loaded nanoparticles (CBD-PLGA-NPs) for treating LPS-induced primary chondrocytes of rat pups damaged. The fabricated CBD-PLGA-NPs could effectively enhance the chondroprotective effects of CBD by inhibiting the expression of inflammatory factors, increasing cellularity, and improving structural changes, which can be regarded as a potential system to treat OA.