The Effect of Delta‐9‐Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol on Blood Flow and Blood Pressure

Abstract

The effect of different concentrations of Delta‐9‐Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) separately and in combination on blood flow and blood pressure were investigated. It is important to fully elucidate the possible impact on the health of individuals who utilize cannabis and its products because cannabis has been increasingly implicated in adverse cardiovascular events.Forty male Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomly divided into eight groups consisting of five rats each. One group served as a control group. Six of the test groups received different concentrations of THC and CBD (1, 2 and 4 mg/kg body weight) respectively, while the other test group received a combination of THC and CBD (2 mg/kg body weight) in a one to one ratio. The control group received vehicle only. Drugs were administered intraperitoneally on alternate days for five days. Blood flow and blood pressure were measured over a period of one hour prior to and after administration of THC and CBD using the CODA non‐invasive blood pressure system.The results indicate that blood flow increases with increasing CBD concentration but decreases with an increase in THC concentration. These changes were however only significantly different from control at 45 mins when 2 mg/kg of either drug was administered.The extract caused a decrease in blood flow which was not significantly different from control.CBD had no significant effect on blood pressure. THC however caused a downward trend in blood pressure which was not significant. The extract caused a decrease in blood pressure which was significant at 30, 45 & 60 minutes.The changes observed with increasing concentrations of THC and CBD suggest that these cannabinoids operate in dose dependent manner and that THC and CBD may have different effects on the same parameter when administered separately, but when used in combination one may modulate the effect of the other.Support or Funding InformationGraduate Studies & Research, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica