Delayed treatment with cannabidiol has a cerebroprotective action via a cannabinoid receptor‐independent myeloperoxidase‐inhibiting mechanism

• Published in: Journal of neurochemistry 2007-09, Vol.102 (5), p.1488-1496
• Main Authors: Hayakawa, Kazuhide, Mishima, Kenichi, Nozako, Masanori, Hazekawa, Mai, Irie, Keiichi, Fujioka, Masayuki, Orito, Kensuke, Abe, Kohji, Hasebe, Nobuyoshi, Egashira, Nobuaki, Iwasaki, Katsunori, Fujiwara, Michihiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Brain damage; cannabidiol; Cannabidiol - antagonists & inhibitors; Cannabidiol - therapeutic use; cannabinoid; Cardiovascular disease; Cell receptors; Cell structures and functions; Cellular biology; cerebral blood flow; cerebral ischemia; Cerebrovascular Circulation - drug effects; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Dronabinol - therapeutic use; Functional Laterality; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; glutamate; Glutamic Acid - metabolism; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery - enzymology; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery - physiopathology; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery - prevention & control; Male; Marijuana; Medical sciences; Mice; Molecular and cellular biology; Monoamines receptors (catecholamine, serotonine, histamine, acetylcholine); Motor Activity - drug effects; myeloperoxidase; Neurology; Neuroprotective Agents - therapeutic use; Perfusion - methods; Peroxidase - metabolism; Piperidines - pharmacology; Pyrazoles - pharmacology; Receptors, Cannabinoid - physiology; Rodents; Stroke; Tetrazolium Salts; Time Factors; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system
• ISSN: 0022-3042; 1471-4159
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2007.04565.x

We examined the neuroprotective mechanism of cannabidiol, non‐psychoactive component of marijuana, on the infarction in a 4 h mouse middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion model in comparison with Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9‐THC). Release of glutamate in the cortex was measured at 2 h after MCA occlusion. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and cerebral blood flow were measured at 1 h after reperfusion. In addition, infarct size and MPO were determined at 24 and 72 h after MCA occlusion. The neuroprotective effect of cannabidiol was not inhibited by either SR141716 or AM630. Both pre‐ and post‐ischemic treatment with cannabidiol resulted in potent and long‐lasting neuroprotection, whereas only pre‐ischemic treatment with Δ9‐THC reduced the infarction. Unlike Δ9‐THC, cannabidiol did not affect the excess release of glutamate in the cortex after occlusion. Cannabidiol suppressed the decrease in cerebral blood flow by the failure of cerebral microcirculation after reperfusion and inhibited MPO activity in neutrophils. Furthermore, the number of MPO‐immunopositive cells was reduced in the ipsilateral hemisphere in cannabidiol‐treated group. Cannbidiol provides potent and long‐lasting neuroprotection through an anti‐inflammatory CB1 receptor‐independent mechanism, suggesting that cannabidiol will have a palliative action and open new therapeutic possibilities for treating cerebrovascular disorders.