Protective Effect of Different Doses of Cannabidiol on Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability and Damages Resulting from Cerebral Ischemia Model in Rats

Stroke is a neurological disease with a rapid increase in incidence across developing world. Cannabidiol is a non- psychoactive constituent of cannabis which has attracted the attention of investigators in basic and therapeutic research. The most significant property of cannabidiol is its strong neuroprotective effect manifested in animal model of epilepsy, Alzheimer, and Parkinson. The present study was designed to examine the effect of cannabidiol on stroke damages in particular the blood-brain barrier integrity.
66 rats were randomly divided into 6 main groups. Using stereotaxic surgery, guide cannula was implanted in the lateral ventricle. Cannabidiol (50, 100, and 200 ng) was administrated for 5 consequent days through Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection. After pretreatment, the rats were subjected to right middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). After 24 hours, reperfusion neurological deficit scores (NDS), infarct volume (IV), and blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability were assessed.
The results indicate that administration of cannabidiol (100 and 200 ng) in the cerebral ischemia caused a remarkable reduction in NDS and IV, as well as BBB permeability in comparison with the vehicle group.
The obtained results indicate that cannabidiol possibly ameliorates ischemic injuries manifested as infarction through reduction of the blood-brain barrier permeability and neurological defects.