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Acute inflammation and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection: Cannabidiol as a potential anti-inflammatory treatment?

In murine models of lung injury, CBD reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute pulmonary inflammation [41,42]. In rat models of experimental asthma, CBD treatment reduced airway inflammation, as well as levels of serum IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-6 and TNF-α, which are implicated in airway inflammation and fibrosis in asthma [43,44]. Moreover, CBD was able to directly suppress T-cell secretion of IL-1 and IFNγ [45]. In piglets with hypoxic-ischemic lung damage, CBD reduced histologic damage, decreased leukocyte infiltration and modulated IL-1 concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid [46], while in a rat model of sepsis, CBD reversed oxidative stress and reduced mortality [47]. In humans, cannabinoid use prevented induction of pro-inflammatory CD16+ monocytes and production of IP-10, In murine models of lung injury, CBD reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute pulmonary inflammation [41,42]. In rat models of experimental asthma, CBD treatment reduced airway inflammation, as well as levels of serum IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-6 and TNF-α, which are implicated in airway inflammation and fibrosis in asthma [43,44]. Moreover, CBD was able to directly suppress T-cell secretion of IL-1 and IFNγ [45]. In piglets with hypoxic-ischemic lung damage, CBD reduced histologic damage, decreased leukocyte infiltration and modulated IL-1 concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid [46], while in a rat model of sepsis, CBD reversed oxidative stress and reduced mortality [47]. In humans, cannabinoid use prevented induction of pro-inflammatory CD16+ monocytes and production of IP-10, suggesting anti-inflammatory effects in humans [48]. In another human study, in addition to reduction of pro-inflammatory monocytes, heavy cannabis use was also associated with decreased frequencies of HLA-DR+CD38+ activated CD4 and CD8 T-cells and frequencies of IL-10, IL-12 and TNF-α -producing antigen presenting cells compared to non-cannabis users [49].

Cecilia T. Costiniuk and Mohammad-Ali Jenabian Published online 2020 May 20. doi:10.1016/j.cytogfr.2020.05.008

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