A study published today by the European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics reveals that cannabidiol (CBD) encapsulated in niosomes could serve as an effective neuroprotective treatment for retinal ischemia, a condition that can lead to significant vision loss.
Titled Intravitreal CBD-Loaded Niosomes Enhance Retinal Neuroprotection in Ischemic Injury, the study highlights the potential of this innovative formulation to overcome CBD’s traditionally low bioavailability when applied in ocular therapies. The study was funded by Brazil’s National Institute of Science and Technology in Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology.
“Cannabidiol (CBD) has emerged as a promising treatment for conditions like retinal ischemia, characterized by reduced blood flow to the retina and significant vision loss”, state sthe study’s abstract. “Despite its therapeutic potential, CBD’s clinical application could be limited by due to its low bioavailability.”
With that in mind, this study “investigates the efficacy of CBD-loaded niosomes as a neuroprotective formulation for the use in ocular therapies related to retinal ischemia.”
Researchers “investigated the neuroprotective effects of CBD using a nanodispersed system (niosomes) administered via intravitreal injection in rats’ eyes. Niosomes underwent characterization for size, distribution, zeta potential, morphology, and encapsulation efficiency.”
Safety and neuroprotective activity were assessed by electroretinography (ERG), confocal and transmission microscopy and histology. Niosomes exhibited nanometric size (100–400 nm) and stability, “showing good tolerance in animals.”
According to the study, “ERG results demonstrated higher b-wave amplitudes in animals pre-treated with niosomes + CBD compared to the control group following ischemic injury induced by a sudden increase in IOP. Histological and confocal microscopy analyses of retinas from the niosomes + CBD group showed preserved structure compared to the ischemic control group, suggesting significant retinal protection by intravitreally injected niosomes + CBD before ischemia.”
CBD-loaded niosomes “effectively preserved retinal function, highlighting the neuroprotective potential of CBD against retinal ischemia”, with researchers noting that “This formulation presents a promising and innovative treatment for ischemic retinal diseases.”
The study concludes:
This study highlights the neuroprotective potential of CBD encapsulated in niosomes against retinal ischemia. Our findings indicate that pre-treatment with CBD-loaded niosomes effectively preserved retinal function, as demonstrated through histological, fluorescence, and electroretinography analyses. These results emphasize the promising role of CBD-loaded niosomes as a therapeutic approach for mitigating retinal ischemic injury, while minimizing the risk of significant systemic effects when
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