In a recent study published in Scientific Reports, researchers assessed the potential protective effect of cannabidiol (CBD)- and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-based oils derived from Cannabis sativa plants against aluminum (Al)-induced neurotoxicity in the zebrafish animal model.
Study: Cannabis sativa-based oils against aluminum-induced neurotoxicity. Image Credit: Creativan/Shutterstock.com
Background
The secondary metabolism of C. sativa generates hundreds of chemicals, some with biological activity, e.g., terpenoids and phenolic compounds. Two terpenoids, THC and CBD, are key targets for medical use as they modulate the cholinergic nervous system (CholNS), whose main excitatory neurotransmitter is acetylcholine (ACh).
While the CholNS system maintains memory, environmental perception, and movement, ACh acts on brain regions linked to learning/cognition.
Any changes in the CholNS are, thus, responsible for many neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Aluminum (Al), the third most abundant metal on the earth, toxicate the CholNS system.
It is considered a neurotoxic compound due to its ability to accumulate in biological tissues. It also interacts with the antioxidant enzymes, e.g., superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CTL), crucial for re-establishing oxidative homeostasis.
Thus, cells encounter increased oxidative stress due to Al exposure, which leads to cell…
