Cannabinoids and the kidney: effects in health and disease

Abstract

Consumption of cannabis and various related products (cannabinoids) for both medicinal and recreational use is gaining popularity. Furthermore, regulatory changes are fostering a cultural shift toward increasing liberalization of cannabis use, thereby increasing the likelihood of even larger numbers of individuals being exposed in the future. The two different types of receptors (CB and CB) that are activated by the pharmacologically active ingredients of cannabis are found in numerous tissues, including the kidneys. Experimental studies suggest that stimulation of these receptors using pharmacologic agents or their naturally occurring ligands could have both deleterious and beneficial effects on the kidneys, depending on receptor distribution, type of renal insult, or the timing of the activation during acute or chronic states of kidney injury. To date, the mechanisms by which the CB or CB receptors are involved in the pathology of these renal conditions remain to be fully described. Furthermore, a better understanding of the impact of exocannabinoids and endocannabinoids on the renal system may lead to the development of new drugs to treat kidney disease and its complications. Given the increasing public health relevance of cannabis exposure, it is clear that more research is necessary to clarify the various physiological and pathophysiological effects of cannabis and related analogs on the kidney. This will help limit the deleterious effects of these substances while promoting their potential beneficial impact on renal function in various types of kidney diseases.

Cannabinoid receptor type 2 promotes kidney fibrosis through orchestrating β-catenin signaling

“…of exocannabinoid consumers, for both recreational and medicinal purposes. 49 Chronic heavy use could lead to the continuous activation of both CB1 and CB2 receptors, which may have negative effects on kidney health.…”

Cannabis abuse and dependence in kidney transplant candidates

“…Assessing the impact of cannabis use on allograft function postoperatively is a complex undertaking with multiple variables. Nonetheless, as we better understand the effects of specific components of plant cannabinoids, their impact on CB1 and CB2 receptor function present in the kidney, their impact on pharmacological targets other than these receptors throughout the body, genetic and physiological vulnerabilities to substance use disorders, and cannabinoid impact on allograft success, it is possible that newer, informatics-based and algorithmic approaches may help to individualize decision-making as in other areas of medicine (7,8,11).…”

Mechanism of Diuresis and Natriuresis by Cannabinoids: Evidence for Inhibition of Na+-K+-ATPase in Mouse Kidney Thick Ascending Limb Tubules

“…Our immunohistochemical localization data are the first to our knowledge to address the distribution of the CB1 receptor in the renal medulla (Park et al 2017).…”