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Canna~Fangled Abstracts

Lebanese Cannabis sativa L. extract protects from cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in mice by inhibiting podocytes apoptosis

By January 16, 2025January 18th, 2025No Comments

. 2025 Jan 16;7(1):3.

doi: 10.1186/s42238-025-00260-4.

Alia Khalil # 1, Sahar Al Toufaily # 2, Wassim Shebaby 2, Marissa El Hage 2 3, Dima Mroue 4, Wissam Faour 5, Mohamad Mroueh 2
Affiliations 

Abstract

Background: Cisplatin is an anti-cancer drug used to treat a plethora of solid tumors. However, it is associated with dose dependent nephrotoxicity limiting its use as anticancer agent.

Objective: The current study aimed to investigate the nephroprotective effect of native Lebanese Cannabis sativa in both in vitro and in vivo mice model of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Methods: Podocytes cell viability was assessed using MTS assay with cisplatin (30µM) in presence or absence of Cannabis oil extract (COE) at 0.5, 1 and 2µg/ml for 24h. Acute renal injury was established in adult female C57BL/6 mice with 20mg/kg, i.p. single dose cisplatin. Mice were divided into control group (vehicle), COE group, cisplatin group and cisplatin plus COE (2.5, 5 and 20mg/kg, i.p.). Animal body weight, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and proteinuria were measured.

Results: Cell viability assay and western blot analysis revealed that COE prevented apoptosis induced by cisplatin in cultured immortalized rat podocytes. In addition, in vitro scratch assay demonstrated the ability of COE to promote and restore the migratory capacity of podocytes in cisplatin-treated cells. Interestingly, COE treatment improved urinary and serum parameters characterized by a significant decrease in serum creatinine, urea, and proteinuria at various COE doses. Western blot analysis showed that COE inhibited COX-2 protein induction as well as apoptosis marker production (Bax/Bcl2 ratio) in cisplatin-treated mice when compared to mice treated with cisplatin alone.

Conclusion: Collectively, the aforementioned findings indicate that COE could be a promising approach to protect against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Keywords: Cannabis sativa, Cisplatin, Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity, Nephrotoxicity, Podocytes

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: All experimental protocols were approved by the Lebanese American University Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC). Consent for publication: N/A. Competing interests: All authors declare that they have no conflict or competing interests.

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