“Cannabinoids are promising therapeutic targets in the treatment of sepsis, as they improved survival, and reduced inflammation and organ injury”, states a new study published by the journal Inflammation Research.
Sepsis is responsible for roughly one in five deaths globally, yet treatment options remain limited to supportive care, notes the research team from the Federal University of Santa Catarina. The review sought to summarize what is known about how cannabinoids affect the disease, analyzing studies across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Selected research included preclinical models of sepsis or septic shock that investigated cannabinoids or the ECS.
According to the authors, the most common experimental models involved mice and rats, with endotoxemia induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) being the primary method. The cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) emerged as the most studied target. Synthetic cannabinoids accounted for the majority of compounds tested, while the studies collectively assessed outcomes related to inflammation, organ injury, and survival.
The findings suggest cannabinoids could have therapeutic potential in sepsis, as treatments improved survival rates and reduced both inflammation and organ damage.
“Cannabinoids are promising therapeutic targets in the treatment of sepsis, as they improved survival, and reduced inflammation and organ injury”, concludes the study. “However, deleterious adverse effects were reported, with the underlying molecular mechanisms still unknown, and further research is needed to evaluate their benefits and future use in clinical research.”
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