Cannabidiol improves lung function and inflammation in mice submitted to LPS-induced acute lung injury

TLDR

The study examined the therapeutic effects of cannabidiol on lung mechanics and inflammation in mice with LPS‑induced acute lung injury. Mice received intraperitoneal cannabidiol (20 or 80 mg/kg) 6 h after LPS challenge, and lung mechanics and inflammatory markers were measured 24 h later. Therapeutic cannabidiol reduced lung resistance, elastance, leukocyte infiltration, MPO activity, protein leakage, and pro‑inflammatory cytokines/chemokines, demonstrating potent anti‑inflammatory effects and improved lung function in LPS‑induced ALI mice.

Abstract

We have previously shown that the prophylactic treatment with cannabidiol (CBD) reduces inflammation in a model of acute lung injury (ALI). In this work we analyzed the effects of the therapeutic treatment with CBD in mice subjected to the model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI on pulmonary mechanics and inflammation. CBD (20 and 80 mg/kg) was administered (i.p.) to mice 6 h after LPS-induced lung inflammation. One day (24 h) after the induction of inflammation the assessment of pulmonary mechanics and inflammation were analyzed. The results show that CBD decreased total lung resistance and elastance, leukocyte migration into the lungs, myeloperoxidase activity in the lung tissue, protein concentration and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF and IL-6) and chemokines (MCP-1 and MIP-2) in the bronchoalveolar lavage supernatant. Thus, we conclude that CBD administered therapeutically, i.e. during an ongoing inflammatory process, has a potent anti-inflammatory effect and also improves the lung function in mice submitted to LPS-induced ALI. Therefore the present and previous data suggest that in the future cannabidiol might become a useful therapeutic tool for the attenuation and treatment of inflammatory lung diseases.