The Effect of Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Seeds and Hemp Seed Oil on Vascular Dysfunction in Obese Male Zucker Rats.

Adam Jurgoński,Michał Majewski

doi:10.3390/nu13082575

Abstract

Seeds of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) contain a large amount of protein (26.3%), dietary fiber (27.5%), and fatty acids (33.2%), including linoleic, α-linolenic, and some amount of γ-linolenic acid. In our study, obese male Zucker rats (n = 6) at 8 weeks of age were supplemented for a further 4 weeks with either ground hemp seeds (12% diet) or lipid fractions in the form of hemp seed oil (4% diet). Hemp oil decreased blood plasma HDL-cholesterol (x0.76, p ≤ 0.0001), triglycerides (x0.55, p = 0.01), and calculated atherogenic parameters. Meanwhile, hemp seeds decreased HDL-cholesterol (x0.71, p ≤ 0.0001) and total cholesterol (x0.81, p = 0.006) but not the atherogenic index. The plasma antioxidant capacity of water-soluble compounds was decreased by the seeds (x0.30, p = 0.0015), which in turn was associated with a decrease in plasma uric acid (x0.18, p = 0.03). Dietary hemp seeds also decreased plasma urea (x0.80, p = 0.02), while the oil decreased the plasma total protein (x0.90, p = 0.05). Hemp seeds and the oil decreased lipid peroxidation in the blood plasma and in the heart (reflected as malondialdehyde content), improved contraction to noradrenaline, and up-regulated the sensitivity of potassium channels dependent on ATP and Ca2+. Meanwhile, acetylcholine-induced vasodilation was improved by hemp seeds exclusively. Dietary supplementation with ground hemp seeds was much more beneficial than the oil, which suggests that the lipid fractions are only partially responsible for this effect.

Highlights

Vascular dysfunction, including compromised vasodilation and vasoconstriction, is an important complication of chronic obesity [1]
The consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can bring some negative consequences to the body, which especially applies to the fatty acids of the n-6 family that can be metabolized to pro-inflammatory eicosanoids [7]
Stock solutions (10 mM) of these drugs were prepared in distilled water, except for noradrenaline, which was dissolved in NaCl (0.9%) + ascorbic acid (0.01% w/v) solution; pinacidil, NS-1619 were dissolved in DMSO, and U-46619 in ethanol

Summary

Introduction

Vascular dysfunction, including compromised vasodilation and vasoconstriction, is an important complication of chronic obesity [1]. Food from plants is a good source of bioactive compounds that can directly bring benefits to the cardiovascular system, a good example of which are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) with α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid as their main representatives in nature [5]. Besides their nutritional importance, these PUFAs, especially from the n-3 family, can improve lipid metabolism and the inhibition of lipid synthesis in the body [6,7]. The consumption of PUFAs can bring some negative consequences to the body, which especially applies to the fatty acids of the n-6 family that can be metabolized to pro-inflammatory eicosanoids [7]

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Conclusion