Effects of Cannabidiol on Dugesia Dorotocephala Head Regeneration

Abstract

The endocannabinoid system regulates synaptic transmissions. It is comprised of two G protein-coupled receptors, cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), a degradation system and the endocannabinoids, a group of lipidic ligands. The connection between JNK, cannabinoids, and regeneration has led to the hypothesis that cannabinoids impact both regeneration and the levels of the enzymes required for the regenerative process. Thus, by encouraging neoblasts to enter the M phase, cannabinoids would speed up effective regeneration. These regeneration pathways may have implications in cancer research. In addition, CB1 reception suppresses the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma, indicating that the endocannabinoid system may be a possible course of treatment for cancer patients. CB2 receptors in nonimmune cells have revealed the benefits of agonists on osteoporosis and post‐ischemic heart failure. In order to understand the effects of cannabidiol on the regenerative process and neural transmission, we conducted experiments on Dugesia dorotocephala. Dugesia dorotocephala is an ideal candidate for the endocannabinoid model because they are more genetically uniform than most natural populations and their regeneration is specifically tied to cannabinoid receptors. We transversally cut twenty-four Dugesia dorotocephala to analyze differences in head regeneration in solutions with varying amounts of cannabidiol. We found that Dugesia dorotocephala in CBD solutions have a faster rate of head regeneration, yet our results were not statistically significant. The increased rate of head regeneration in Dugesia dorotocephala in CBD solution may be attributed to the stimulation of neoblasts to enter the M-Phase of the cell cycle. Keywords: cannabidiol (CBD), planaria, regeneration, endocannabinoid