Effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Cannabis sativa on cell survival and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells derived from human adipose tissue to osteoblast-like cells

The resin secretions of Cannabis sativa are called Hashish, which has medicinal and psychological properties. The most important psychoactive compound of this plant is THC (Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol), which can stimulate cannabinoid receptors in the body. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Cannabis sativa on cell survival and osteoblastic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. In this experimental study, mesenchymal stem cells derived from fat tissue of human abdominal were treated with 100 ng/ml concentration of hydroalcoholic extract of Cannabis sativa. Flow cytometry and RT-PCR techniques were used for detection of cells. The cytotoxic effect of Cannabis sativa extract and osteoblastic differentiation of cells were investigated using MTT method and Alizarin-Red staining, respectively. The karyotype analysis was performed with the preparation of extended metaphase chromosomes. The identity of the fat mesenchymal stem cells was confirmed by the expression of non-hematopoietic mesenchymal markers (CD90, CD44 and CD73) and the lack of expression of the hematopoietic marker (CD34 and CD45). The Alizarin-Red showed that the treatment with Cannabis sativa has no effect on the osteoblastic differentiation of human fat mesenchymal stem cells, and the treated cells were differentiated into bone cells same as control group. Also, Cannabis sativa extract has no effect on the structure, morphological status and number of chromosomes of these cells. This study showed that human fat mesenchymal cells in the presence of a hydroalcoholic extract of Cannabis sativa maintain the ability of osteoblastic differentiation. Also, this extract has no effect on the chromosomal karyotype of the cells.