The cannabis compound cannabichromene (CBD) “has potential anti-inflammatory effects and may be useful for preventing or treating inflammation”, according to a new study published in the journal Plants.
CBC is a widely unknown non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in marijuana. The compound has “recently been shown to possess several medicinal properties”, notes the abstract of the study. However, “how CBC produces anti-inflammatory effects and the mechanisms of this remain poorly studied.”
Therefore, researchers “extracted and purified the CBC from the Cannabis sativa cv. pink pepper”, and the “efficacy of CBC in reducing inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages and a λ-carrageenan-induced mouse model was then evaluated.”
CBC had no cytotoxicity “up to a concentration of 20 μM and inhibited nitric oxide production by approximately 50% at a concentration of 20 μM”, states the study. “In addition, CBC treatment significantly inhibited causes of inflammation such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) at both the mRNA and protein levels.”
Moreover, “CBC suppressed LPS-stimulated inflammation in RAW 264.7 cells by downregulating the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways (MAPK).”
The researchers in vivo experiments “confirmed that the λ-carrageenan-induced increase in the levels of the cytokines iNOS, IL-1β, and IL-6 was abrogated following treatment with CBC.”
“Therefore”, the study concludes, “CBC has potential anti-inflammatory effects and may be useful for preventing or treating inflammation.”
The study was conducted by researchers at the Chuncheon Bioindustry Foundation, Kangwon National University and Colorado State University.
