Author:

Booz GW

Abstract:

Oxidative stress with reactive oxygen species generation is a key weapon

in the arsenal of the immune system for fighting invading pathogens and
initiating tissue repair. If excessive or unresolved, however,
immune-related oxidative stress can initiate further increasing levels
of oxidative stress that cause organ damage and dysfunction. Targeting
oxidative stress in various diseases therapeutically has proven more
problematic than first anticipated given the complexities and perversity
of both the underlying disease and the immune response. However,
growing evidence suggests that the endocannabinoid system, which
includes the CB₁ and CB₂ G-protein-coupled receptors and their
endogenous lipid ligands, may be an area that is ripe for therapeutic
exploitation. In this context, the related nonpsychotropic cannabinoid
cannabidiol, which may interact with the endocannabinoid system but has
actions that are distinct, offers promise as a prototype for
anti-inflammatory drug development. This review discusses recent studies
suggesting that cannabidiol may have utility in treating a number of
human diseases and disorders now known to involve activation of the
immune system and associated oxidative stress, as a contributor to their
etiology and progression. These include rheumatoid arthritis, types 1
and 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer disease, hypertension, the
metabolic syndrome, ischemia-reperfusion injury, depression, and
neuropathic pain.