CBD May Reduce Intestinal and Liver Damage in Acute Mesenteric Ischemia, Study Finds

Administering cannabidiol (CBD) shortly before blood flow was restored to the intestines reduced tissue damage and helped protect the liver in a rat model of acute mesenteric ischemia, according to a study by researchers from Complutense University of Madrid, the University of the Basque Country and Hospital de Galdakao.

For the study, researchers examined whether CBD could limit intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury, which occurs when blood flow returns following a period of inadequate circulation. Although restoring circulation is necessary to prevent intestinal tissue death, the sudden return of oxygenated blood can trigger oxidative stress, inflammation and cell death. The resulting damage can spread beyond the intestines and affect distant organs, particularly the liver.

Male rats that were either 4 months or 12 months old were used. Blood flow through the superior mesenteric artery was temporarily blocked to produce intestinal ischemia.

One group received an intravenous dose of 10 milligrams of CBD per kilogram of body weight 30 minutes before the artery clamp was removed. Other rats underwent the same procedure without receiving CBD, while a healthy control group was not subjected to the injury.

Untreated rats developed severe intestinal damage, with average histological injury scores approaching the maximum of 5. They also experienced substantial reductions in intestinal absorption, increased lipid peroxidation and elevated expression of genes associated with inflammation and apoptosis.

CBD treatment reduced the severity of intestinal tissue damage and improved absorption of D-xylose, a sugar used to measure intestinal function. The improvement in absorption was especially pronounced among the 12-month-old rats.

CBD also reduced intestinal levels of malondialdehyde, a marker of oxidative damage, while lowering the expression of several inflammatory and proapoptotic genes, including iNOS and BAX.

The protective effects extended to the liver. Rats receiving CBD had lower levels of the liver enzymes AST and ALT than untreated animals, suggesting that the treatment helped preserve liver-cell membrane integrity. CBD also reduced markers of inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular injury in liver tissue.

“By preserving intestinal architecture and function while mitigating secondary hepatic injury, cannabidiol positions itself as a promising potential therapeutic candidate,” the researchers said.

The study was posted June 25 as a Research Square preprint.