The Therapeutic Potential of Cannabis in Counteracting Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

Abstract

Significant growth of interest in cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.), especially its natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties, has been observed recently. This narrative review aimed to present the state of the art of research concerning the anti-inflammatory activity of all classes of cannabinoids published in the last five years. Multimodal properties of cannabinoids include their involvement in immunological processes, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative effects. Cannabinoids and non-cannabinoid compounds of cannabis proved their anti-inflammatory effects in numerous animal models. The research in humans is missing, and the results are unconvincing. Although preclinical evidence suggests cannabinoids are of value in treating chronic inflammatory diseases, the clinical evidence is scarce, and further well-designed clinical trials are essential to determine the prospects for using cannabinoids in inflammatory conditions.

Anti-Microbial Activity of Phytocannabinoids and Endocannabinoids in the Light of Their Physiological and Pathophysiological Roles

“…CBD can also activate the TRPV1 channel, serotonin 1A (5-HT 1A ) receptors, and opioid receptors [24,172]. CBD has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-epileptic, analgesic, anti-neoplastic, sedative, neuroprotective, and anti-anxiety activities [173][174][175][176][177][178][179][180][181][182][183][184][185][186][187][188]. Moreover, CBD inhibits sebocyte lipogenesis by activating the TRPV4 ion channel that interferes with the pro-lipogenic ERK1/2 MAPK pathway [189].…”

CB2R Deficiency Exacerbates Imiquimod-Induced Psoriasiform Dermatitis and Itch Through the Neuro-Immune Pathway

“…Shi et al confirmed the existence of an imbalance of Th17/Treg cells in psoriasis patients (Shi et al, 2019). CB2R is expressed in B lymphocytes, neutrophils, leucocytes CD8 and CD4, allowing cannabinoids to mitigate the inflammatory response (Graczyk et al, 2021). A previous in vitro study found that the CB2R selective agonist O-1966 activated Tregs and promoted increased IL-10 secretion in the mixed lymphocyte reaction culture supernatant (Robinson et al, 2015).…”

“…It is known that the pathogenesis of psoriasis is a result of complex interactions among the neuroendocrine, immune and vascular systems (Armstrong and Read, 2020). Evidence suggests that CB2R plays a critical role in immune modulation and sensory conduction (Sheriff et al, 2020;Graczyk et al, 2021). Although CB2R-mediated immune responses have been observed in other inflammatory skin diseases, including skin wound healing (Wang et al, 2016;Du et al, 2018), allergic contact dermatitis (Karsak et al, 2007) and artificially induced dermatitis (Haruna et al, 2017), little is known about their role in psoriasis.…”

Antioxidant And Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Ethanolic And Aqueous Root Extracts Of Piliostigma Thonningii (Schumach.) Milne-Redhead

“…The first phase (1 hour) involves the release of serotonin and histamine and the second phase (> 1 hour) is mediated by cyclooxygenase products. Continuity between the two phases is provided by kinin (Graczyk et al, 2021). The AEPT and EEPT significantly inhibited the edema formation in both the first and second phases.…”