Cannabidiol exerts species selective cardioprotective effects in anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity.

Barron, Gemma; Wainwrigh, Cherry; Walsh, Sarah K.

Abstract

Anthracyclines such as doxorubicin are effective chemotherapy agents, however a severe and common side effect of this treatment is anthracycline induced cardiotoxicity (AIC), which damages the heart muscle severely impacting its ability to pump and can lead to heart failure [1-3]. Although the exact pathophysiological mechanisms of AIC have yet to be fully elucidated experimental studies have suggested that they involve increased oxidative stress, intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) dysregulation, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis [4-7]. At present limiting anthracycline exposure is the only proposed strategy for reducing the risk of developing AIC, however it is not entirely effective and other means of prevention require investigation. Cannabidiol (CBD), a constituent of the Cannabis sativa plant, has recently been licensed for the treatment of spasticity in patients with Multiple Sclerosis and is currently being trialled as an anti-epileptic agent. Previous work has demonstrated that CBD is cardioprotective in rodent models of AIC by virtue of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and its ability to restore intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis [8-10], however, it is not known whether these findings extrapolate to humans. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of CBD in both rat and human in vitro models of AIC.

Citation

BARRON, G., WAINWRIGHT, C. and WALSH, S.K. 2019. Cannabidiol exerts species selective cardioprotective effects in anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. Presented at the 2019 Pharmacology conference, 15-17 December 2019, Edinburgh, UK.

• Presentation Conference Type: Poster
• Conference Name: 2019 Pharmacology
• Start Date: Dec 15, 2019
• End Date: Dec 17, 2019
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 13, 2020
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.15035
• Keywords: Anthracyclines; Chemotherapy agents; Heart failure; Cannabidiol
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/930294
• Additional Information: Abstract published as:; WALSH, S., BARRON, G. and WAINWRIGHT, C. 2020. Cannabidiol exerts species selective cardioprotective effects in anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. British journal of pharmacology [online], 177(11): selected abstracts from the 2019 Pharmacology conference, 15-17 December 2019, Edinburgh, UK, pages 2597-2598. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.15035