Cannabidiol ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced cardiovascular toxicity by its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity via regulating IL-6, Hif1α, STAT3, eNOS pathway.

BACKGROUND: Systemic inflammation causes several organ damage by activating the intracellular signaling mechanisms. Heart and aorta tissues are the structures mostly affected by this situation. By examining underlying processes, this study sought to determine whether cannabidiol (CBD) may have protective effects against the cardiovascular damage brought on by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 32 female rats were randomly allocated to one of four groups: control, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (5 mg/kg, i.p., single dose), LPS + CBD (5 mg/kg, i.p., single dose), and CBD groups. The rats were killed six hours after receiving LPS, and tissues from the heart and aorta were taken. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyzes were performed. Oxidative stress was evaluated biochemically by spectrophotometric method. Expression levels of genes were studied by RT-qPCR method. RESULTS: Histopathological analysis of the LPS group showed moderate hyperemia, hemorrhages, edema, inflammation, and myocardial cell damage. There was a slight to moderate increase in Cox-1, G-CSF, and IL-3 immunoexpressions, along with enhanced expressions of IL-6, Hif1α, and STAT3 genes, and decreased expressions of eNOS genes. Additionally, there were increased levels of TOS and decreased TAS levels observed biochemically. CBD treatment effectively reversed and improved all of these observed changes. CONCLUSIONS: CBD protects the heart and aorta against systemic inflammation through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity via regulating IL-6, Hif1α, STAT3, and eNOS intracellular pathways.

The prophylactic and therapeutic effects of cannabidiol on lung injury secondary to cardiac ischemia model in rats via PERK/NRF2/CHOP/BCL2 pathway.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation and oxidative stress are key players in lung injury stemming from cardiac ischemia (LISCI). Cannabidiol (CBD) demonstrates tissue-protective properties through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic characteristics. This study aims to assess the preventive (p-CBD) and therapeutic (t-CBD) effects of CBD on LISCI. METHODS: Forty male Wistar Albino rats were divided into four groups: control (CON), LISCI, p-CBD, and t-CBD. The left anterior descending coronary artery was ligated for 30 minutes of ischemia followed by 30 minutes of reperfusion. Lung tissues were then extracted for histopathological, immunohistochemical, genetic, and biochemical analyses. RESULTS: Histopathologically, marked hyperemia, increased septal tissue thickness, and inflammatory cell infiltrations were observed in the lung tissues of the LISCI group. Spectrophotometrically, total oxidant status and oxidative stress index levels were elevated, while total antioxidant status levels were decreased. Immunohistochemically, expressions of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX1), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF), interleukin-6 (IL6) were increased. In genetic analyses, PERK and CHOP expressions were increased, whereas Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 protein (BCL2) expressions were decreased. These parameters were alleviated by both prophylactic and therapeutic CBD treatment protocols. CONCLUSION: In LISCI-induced damage, both endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial stress, along with oxidative and inflammatory markers, were triggered, resulting in lung cell damage. However, both p-CBD and t-CBD treatments effectively reversed these mechanisms, normalizing all histopathological, biochemical, and PCR parameters.

Lercanidipine ameliorated doxorubicin-induced neuroinflammation and maintained the expressions of choline acetyltransferase via enhancing the levels of PI3K/AKT/HIF1-α expressions.

BACKGROUND: Doxorubicin (DOX) may cause various neurological side effects in the brain. Lercanidipine (LRD) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential benefits of. METHODS AND RESULTS: Lercanidipine in reducing doxorubicin-induced neuroinflammation and maintaining the expressions of choline acetyltransferase. Thirty-two adult Wistar albino female rats were divided into four groups as Control, DOX (20 mg/kg intraperitoneally), DOX + LRD 0.5 (0.5 mg/kg orally), and DOX + LRD2(2 mg/kg orally). Twenty-four hours after the last drug administration (9th day), brain tissues were taken for histopathological, immunohistochemical (choline acetyltransferase [CHAT], interleukin-10 [IL-10], and caspase-3 [Cas-3] staining), biochemical (total antioxidant status [TAS], total oxidant status [TOS], and oxidative stress index [OSI]), and genetic analyzes (PI3K/AKT/HIF1-α and IL-6 gene expressions). Histopathological analyses revealed hyperemia, slight hemorrhage, degeneration, neuronal loss, gliosis in the cerebellum, and neuronal loss in the brain cortex and hippocampus in the DOX group. According to other analyzes, decreased CHAT, PI3K, AKT, HIF1-α and increased IL-6, IL-10, Cas-3 expression were observed in the DOX group. CONCLUSIONS: Both LRD doses reversed all these findings, but LRD2 was observed to be more effective. In conclusion, we determined that LRD has potential therapeutic effect by reducing DOX-induced neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis in brain tissues.

Combined Pulsed Magnetic Field and Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Enhances MMP-9, Collagen-4, VEGF Synthesis to Improve Wound Healing Via Hif-1α/eNOS Pathway.

BACKGROUND: The blood supply of the tissue is very important in the acceleration of wound healing. Radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF) and the pulsed magnetic field (PMF) increase vasodilation to contribute wound healing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of RF and PMF on wound healing via hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (Hif-1α)/endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) pathway. METHODS: Forty-eight rats were divided into 4 groups as sham (wound created only), PMF (27.12 MHz, 12 times a day at 30-min intervals), RF (0.5 mT, continuously) and PMF + RF groups. Wounds were created at 1.5 × 1.5 cm size to the dorsal region, and animals were put into unit. Six animals were killed on days 4 and 7; wound tissues were collected for histopathological, immunohistochemical as collagen-4, cytokeratin, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) staining and Hif-1α/eNOS/VEGF expressions. RESULTS: On day 4, in addition to increasing VEGF and MMP-9 stainings, connection between intact tissue and scar tissue which was stronger in the RF- and PMF-applied groups was observed. On day 7, epithelization started; inflammatory reaction decreased; collagen production, cytokeratin, VEGF and MMP-9 expression enhanced, especially in the RF + PMF applied group. eNOS, Hif-1α and VEGF expression levels were found to be significantly highest in both days of RF + PMF-applied group. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that both in vitro RF and PMF applications can cause notable changes in factors that are required for tissue repair on wound healing such as epithelization, connective tissue formation, collagen production and angiogenesis via vasodilatory Hif-1α/eNOS pathway and VEGF signaling. NO LEVEL ASSIGNED: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .