A new laboratory study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences reports that a cannabidiol-rich cannabis extract known as CAN296 produced strong and consistent immunomodulatory effects when tested on human T cells.
Researchers from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem evaluated how the extract altered activation markers, cytokine levels, and cytotoxic molecule expression in both CD4+ helper T cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells.
The team isolated T cells from healthy donors and compared CAN296 with two established immunosuppressive medications: dexamethasone and tacrolimus. Across multiple concentrations, CAN296 sharply reduced T cell activation, driving CD69 expression in CD4+ cells down to 2–11% and in CD8+ cells to 5–17%. The extract also substantially reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines. In CD4+ cells, TNF-α dropped at every tested dose. In CD8+ cells, both TNF-α and IFN-γ were nearly undetectable, demonstrating suppression stronger than either comparison drug.
The study found similar patterns when examining cytotoxic molecules. CAN296 lowered Granzyme B by 81–82%, Perforin by 40–53%, and Fas Ligand by 40–44%. Dexamethasone produced mixed effects, and tacrolimus inconsistently altered cytokine and cytotoxic marker expression.
Researchers concluded that CAN296 outperformed both medications in consistency and potency. They suggest the extract may represent a potential treatment pathway for T cell-driven conditions such as oral lichen planus and oral manifestations of graft-versus-host disease. Further work will focus on dosing strategies and preparing for eventual clinical testing.
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