Transdermal cannabidiol reduces inflammation and pain‐related behaviours in a rat model of arthritis

Abstract

Background Current arthritis treatments often have side-effects attributable to active compounds as well as route of administration. Cannabidiol (CBD) attenuates inflammation and pain without side-effects, but CBD is hydrophobic and has poor oral bioavailability. Topical drug application avoids gastrointestinal administration, first pass metabolism, providing more constant plasma levels. Methods This study examined efficacy of transdermal CBD for reduction in inflammation and pain, assessing any adverse effects in a rat complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced monoarthritic knee joint model. CBD gels (0.6, 3.1, 6.2 or 62.3 mg/day) were applied for 4 consecutive days after arthritis induction. Joint circumference and immune cell invasion in histological sections were measured to indicate level of inflammation. Paw withdrawal latency (PWL) in response to noxious heat stimulation determined nociceptive sensitization, and exploratory behaviour ascertained animal’s activity level. Results Measurement of plasma CBD concentration provided by transdermal absorption revealed linearity with 0.6–6.2 mg/day doses. Transdermal CBD gel significantly reduced joint swelling, limb posture scores as a rating of spontaneous pain, immune cell infiltration and thickening of the synovial membrane in a dose-dependent manner. PWL recovered to near baseline level. Immunohistochemical analysis of spinal cord (CGRP, OX42) and dorsal root ganglia (TNFα) revealed dose-dependent reductions of pro-inflammatory biomarkers. Results showed 6.2 and 62 mg/day were effective doses. Exploratory behaviour was not altered by CBD indicating limited effect on higher brain function. Conclusions These data indicate that topical CBD application has therapeutic potential for relief of arthritis pain-related behaviours and inflammation without evident side-effects.

Cannabidiol: A budding industry!

“…) and rheumatoid arthritis (Hammell et al . ), and a case study of a child with post‐tramatic stress disorder reported that CBD helped with symptoms of anxiety and sleep disturbances (Shannon & Opila‐Lehman ). However, while these early studies indicate that CBD may have broad therapeutic potential, there is as yet no evidence from human trials to support the use of CBD for these conditions.…”

“…This includes antiproliferative and anti-invasive effects, as well as the induction of cancer cell death (Kargl et al 2016). Studies using animal models hint that CBD may be beneficial in the treatment of depression (Shoval et al 2016) and rheumatoid arthritis (Hammell et al 2016), and a case study of a child with post-tramatic stress disorder reported that CBD helped with symptoms of anxiety and sleep disturbances (Shannon & Opila-Lehman 2016). However, while these early studies indicate that CBD may have broad therapeutic potential, there is as yet no evidence from human trials to support the use of CBD for these conditions.…”

Kannabinoide berriak: segurtasun eta eraginkortasun terapeutikoaren bila

“…Hala ere, zelulekin eginiko saiakeretan, COX-1-aren inhibizioak prostaglandinen sintesiaren % 10eko murrizketa eragiten du soilik [23]. Bi efektu horiek kontrajarriak izan arren, animalia osoan administratzean, CBDak hantura esanguratsuki blokea dezakeela ikusi da [24]. In vivo azaltzen den eragin horren arrazoia CBDak barneko sistema kannabinoidean duen efektua izan daiteke.…”

Trends in use, pharmacology, and clinical applications of emerging herbal nutraceuticals

“…For instance, CBD is effective in models of neuropathic pain induced by chemotherapy(Harris, Sufka, Gul, & ElSohly, 2016;Ward et al, 2014), diabetes(Jesus et al, 2019) nerve chronic constriction(Belardo et al, 2019) and injury(De Gregorio, McLaughlin, et al, 2019). Similarly, CBD may exert analgesic and/or anti-inflammatory effects in animal models of arthritis(Hammell et al, 2016), airways inflammation(Vuolo et al, 2019), allergic contact dermatitis(Petrosino et al, 2018), oral wounds(Klein et al, 2018) and colitis(Pagano et al, 2016). In arthritis animal models, CBD provided pain relief and reduced inflammatory via a combination of immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects(Lowin et al, 2019).…”