Study: CBD Reduced Heart Damage, Boosted Mitochondrial Health in Animal Model of Heart Attack Injury
- CBD significantly reduced heart damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion injury and enhanced mitochondrial health markers in an animal study.
- The study involved 40 rats subjected to heart injury, showing increased inflammation and oxidative stress, with reduced protective mitochondrial proteins in the affected groups.
- Prophylactic CBD treatment before injury yielded the strongest cardioprotective effects, improving heart structure and reducing inflammation, while therapeutic CBD after injury provided moderate benefits.
- CBD’s protective effects are linked to activation of the SIRT-1/PGC-1α pathway, which supports mitochondrial function and suppresses inflammation, though further research is needed for clinical application.
A study published today in the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology found that CBD significantly reduced heart damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion injury, while boosting key markers tied to mitochondrial health, in an animal model. Researchers from Suleyman Demirel University and Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University examined whether CBD could protect the heart after a temporary blockage of the left anterior descending coronary artery, followed by restored blood flow — a process known to trigger oxidative stress, inflammation and cell death. Forty rats were divided into four groups: sham, ischemia-reperfusion (I/R), prophylactic CBD and therapeutic CBD.
The I/R group showed clear signs of heart injury, including tissue hyperemia, edema, hemorrhage and inflammatory cell infiltration. Levels of inflammatory markers such as NF-κB, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor were elevated. At the same time, protective proteins linked to mitochondrial biogenesis and cell survival — including SIRT-1, PGC-1α and Bcl-2 — were significantly reduced, alongside increased oxidative stress.
Rats given CBD before the induced heart injury experienced the strongest benefits. Prophylactic treatment restored much of the heart’s structural integrity, reduced inflammatory and apoptotic signaling, and increased markers associated with mitochondrial biogenesis. Therapeutic CBD, administered after injury began, also provided measurable but more modest protection.
According to the findings, CBD’s cardioprotective effects appear closely tied to activation of the SIRT-1/PGC-1α pathway, which supports mitochondrial function, while suppressing NF-κB-driven inflammation and oxidative damage.
The researchers conclude that CBD demonstrates significant protective effects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in this animal model, though further studies are needed to confirm the precise mechanisms and potential clinical relevance.