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Benamar K. IUPHAR review- Preclinical models of neuropathic pain: Evaluating multifunctional properties of natural cannabinoid receptors ligands. Pharmacol Res 2024; 199:107013. [PMID: 38008135 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.107013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Neuropathic pain remains prevalent and challenging to manage and is often comorbid with depression and anxiety. The new approach that simultaneously targets neuropathic pain and the associated comorbidities, such as depression and anxiety, is timely and critical, given the high prevalence and severity of neuropathic pain and the lack of effective analgesics. In this review, we focus on the animal models of neuropathic pain that researchers have used to investigate the analgesic effects of cannabidiol (CBD) and Beta-Caryophyllene (BCP) individually and in combination while addressing the impact of these compounds on the major comorbidity (e.g., depression, anxiety) associated with neuropathic pain. We also addressed the potential targets/mechanisms by which CBD and BCP produce analgesic effects in neuropathic pain models. The preclinical studies examined in this review support CBD and BCP individually and combined as potential alternative analgesics for neuropathic pain while showing beneficial effects on depression and anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Benamar
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neuro-behavioral Health, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, School of Medicine, Biomedical building, McAllen, TX 78504, USA.
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Marusich JA, Wiley JL. Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol discrimination: Effects of route of administration in mice. DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE REPORTS 2023; 9:100205. [PMID: 38045495 PMCID: PMC10690562 DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Background Route of administration is an important pharmacokinetic variable in development of translationally relevant preclinical models. Humans primarily administer cannabis through smoking, vaping, and edibles. In contrast, preclinical research has historically utilized injected Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The present study sought to examine how route of administration affected the potency and time course of THC's discriminative stimulus properties. Methods Adult female and male C57BL/6 mice were trained to discriminate intraperitoneal (i.p.) THC from vehicle in a drug discrimination procedure. After discrimination was acquired, a dose-effect curve was determined for i.p., oral (p.o.), subcutaneous (s.c.), and aerosolized THC. Subsequently, the time course of effects of each route of administration was determined. Results THC administered i.p., p.o., s.c., or via aerosolization fully substituted for i.p. THC. The potency of THC's psychoactive effects was similar for i.p., p.o., and s.c., except that THC was more potent when administered s.c. vs p.o. in females. All routes of administration had a similar potency in both sexes. The duration of THC's psychoactive effects was similar across i.p., s.c., and p.o. routes of administration, whereas aerosolized THC produced a faster onset and shorter duration of effects compared to the other routes. Conclusion THC administered via multiple routes of administration, including those commonly used in preclinical research (i.p. and s.c.) and more translationally relevant routes (aerosol and p.o.), produced THC-like discriminative stimulus effects in mice trained to discriminate i.p. THC. More precise predictions of THC's effects in humans may result from use of these translationally relevant routes of administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A. Marusich
- Center for Drug Discovery, RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Rd, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Jenny L. Wiley
- Center for Drug Discovery, RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Rd, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
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Sallam NA, Peterson CS, Baglot SL, Kohro Y, Trang T, Hill MN, Borgland SL. Sex Differences in Plasma, Adipose Tissue, and Central Accumulation of Cannabinoids, and Behavioral Effects of Oral Cannabis Consumption in Male and Female C57BL/6 Mice. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2023; 26:773-783. [PMID: 37715955 PMCID: PMC10674081 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyad055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis edibles are an increasingly popular form of cannabis consumption. Oral consumption of cannabis has distinct physiological and behavioral effects compared with injection or inhalation. An animal model is needed to understand the pharmacokinetics and physiological effects of oral cannabis consumption in rodents as a model for human cannabis edible use. METHODS Adult male and female C57BL/6 mice received a single dose of commercially available cannabis oil (5 mg/kg Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]) by oral gavage. At 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 6 hours post exposure, plasma, hippocampus, and adipose tissue were collected for THC, 11-OH-THC, and THC-COOH measures. RESULTS We report delayed time to peak THC and 11-OH-THC concentrations in plasma, brain, and adipose tissue, which is consistent with human pharmacokinetics studies. We also found sex differences in the cannabis tetrad: (1) female mice had a delayed hypothermic effect 6 hours post consumption, which was not present in males; (2) females had stronger catalepsy than males; (3) males were less mobile following cannabis exposure, whereas female mice showed no difference in locomotion but an anxiogenic effect at 3 hours post exposure; and (4) male mice displayed a longer-lasting antinociceptive effect of oral cannabis. CONCLUSIONS Oral cannabis consumption is a translationally relevant form of administration that produces similar physiological effects as injection or vaping administration and thus should be considered as a viable approach for examining the physiological effects of cannabis moving forward. Furthermore, given the strong sex differences in metabolism of oral cannabis, these factors should be carefully considered when designing animal studies on the effects of cannabis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nada A Sallam
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Colleen S Peterson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Samantha L Baglot
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Yuta Kohro
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Department of Molecular and System Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Tuan Trang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada (Dr Hill and Ms Baglot)
| | - Stephanie L Borgland
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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Sokolaj E, Assareh N, Anderson K, Aubrey KR, Vaughan CW. Cannabis constituents for chronic neuropathic pain; reconciling the clinical and animal evidence. J Neurochem 2023. [PMID: 37747128 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Chronic neuropathic pain is a debilitating pain syndrome caused by damage to the nervous system that is poorly served by current medications. Given these problems, clinical studies have pursued extracts of the plant Cannabis sativa as alternative treatments for this condition. The vast majority of these studies have examined cannabinoids which contain the psychoactive constituent delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). While there have been some positive findings, meta-analyses of this clinical work indicates that this effectiveness is limited and hampered by side-effects. This review focuses on how recent preclinical studies have predicted the clinical limitations of THC-containing cannabis extracts, and importantly, point to how they might be improved. This work highlights the importance of targeting channels and receptors other than cannabinoid CB1 receptors which mediate many of the side-effects of cannabis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eddy Sokolaj
- Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Northern Clinical School, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Neda Assareh
- Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Northern Clinical School, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kristen Anderson
- Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Northern Clinical School, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Karin R Aubrey
- Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Northern Clinical School, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Christopher W Vaughan
- Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Northern Clinical School, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Benredjem B, Pineyro G. A type II cannabis extract and a 1:1 blend of Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol display distinct antinociceptive profiles and engage different endocannabinoid targets when administered into the subarachnoid space. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1235255. [PMID: 37745077 PMCID: PMC10514912 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1235255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Cannabis extracts are being increasingly used to mitigate chronic pain. Current guidelines for their prescription rely on Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) content as well as the ratio of these major cannabinoids present in the blend. Here we assessed whether these descriptors were representative of product effectiveness to produce a desired outcome such as analgesia. Methods: In this study, we used a rat model of diabetic neuropathy and assessed the reduction in mechanical allodynia following intrathecal injection of pure THC, pure CBD, a 1:1 mix of these compounds and a "balanced" chemotype II cannabis extract. Engagement of endocannabinoid targets by different treatments was investigated using CB1 (AM251) and CB2 (AM630) receptor antagonists as well as a TRPV1 channel blocker (capsazepine). Results: Antinociceptive responses induced by an equivalent amount of THC administered in its pure form, as a THC:CBD mix or as a "balanced" extract were distinct. Furthermore, the 1:1 THC:CBD mix and the balanced extract had not only different response profiles but their relative engagement of CB1, CB2 receptors and TRPV1 channels was distinct. Discussion: These findings indicate that antinociceptive responses and targets engaged by blended cannabinoids are composition-specific, and cannot be simply inferred from THC and CBD contents. This information may have implications in relation to the way medicinal cannabis products are prescribed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Besma Benredjem
- Département de Pharmacologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Graciela Pineyro
- Département de Pharmacologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Wang X, Lin C, Jin S, Wang Y, Peng Y, Wang X. Cannabidiol alleviates neuroinflammation and attenuates neuropathic pain via targeting FKBP5. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 111:365-375. [PMID: 37196785 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglia is a heterogeneous population that mediates neuroinflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) and plays a crucial role in developing neuropathic pain. FKBP5 facilitates the assembly of the IκB kinase (IKK) complex for the activation of NF-κB, which arises as a novel target for treating neuropathic pain. In this study, cannabidiol (CBD), a main active component of Cannabis, was identified as an antagonist of FKBP5. In vitro protein intrinsic fluorescence titration showed that CBD directly bound to FKBP5. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) indicated that CBD binding increased the FKBP5 stability, which implies that FKBP5 is the endogenous target of CBD. CBD was found to inhibit the assembly of the IKK complex and the activation of NF-κB, therefore blocking LPS-induced NF-κB downstream pro-inflammatory factors NO, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. Stern-Volmer analysis and protein thermal shift assay revealed that tyrosine 113 (Y113) of FKBP5 was critical for FKBP5 interacting with CBD, which is consistent with in silico molecular docking simulation. FKBP5 Y113 mutation (Y113A) alleviated the effect of CBD inhibiting LPS-induced pro-inflammatory factors overproduction. Furthermore, systemic administration of CBD inhibited chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced microglia activation and FKBP5 overexpression in lumbar spinal cord dorsal horn. These data imply that FKBP5 is an endogenous target of CBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Lequn Branch, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Cong Lin
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Sha Jin
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China; School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yibo Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Yinghua Peng
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Institute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130112, China.
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, China; Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China; School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
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