A compound found in the marijuana plant called cannflavin B reduced anxiety-like behavior and improved social behavior in a commonly used animal model of autism, according to a new study published by Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy by researchers from the University of Guelph.
The research focused on cannflavin B, described as a non-psychoactive flavonoid, and tested whether it could reverse neurological and behavioral changes caused by prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA), a laboratory method often used to model autism-related traits in animals. In the study, adolescent rats received cannflavin B at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg by injection, and researchers then measured behavior as well as brain activity patterns and inflammation-related markers.
According to the study’s abstract, “Cannflavin B was well tolerated and ameliorated most of the observed VPA-induced changes.” The researchers reported that the compound had “anxiolytic-like properties in female VPA rats” and also “normalized sociality in VPA animals of both sexes,” indicating the treatment improved overall sociability in both male and female animals exposed to VPA before birth.
Beyond behavior, the team examined changes in neuronal signaling across multiple brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. They found that many VPA-linked disruptions in brain oscillations and synchrony were reduced after cannflavin B treatment. The study also reported that cannflavin B lessened increases in Iba1, a microglial marker associated with neuroinflammation, with effects varying by sex and brain region.
In lab-grown neurons, cannflavin B was also reported to normalize VPA-related increases in neuronal activity and promote more organized cortical firing. While the findings are limited to animal and cell models, the authors said the results support further study of lesser-known marijuana compounds beyond THC and CBD, including longer-term dosing and safety work before any clinical relevance can be determined.
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