Skip to main content
Canna~Fangled Abstracts

Dermatitis & Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Cannabis Extract

By March 3, 2025April 3rd, 2025No Comments
PubMed is a free, comprehensive database of scientific and medical literature, primarily focusing on biomedical and life sciences research. It is maintained by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). PubMed is one of the most widely used resources for healthcare professionals, researchers, and students to access peer-reviewed articles, clinical studies, and other scientific publications.

. 2025 Mar 5;18(3):370.

doi: 10.3390/ph18030370.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Cannabis sativa L. Extract in 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene-Induced Dermatitis in Rats

Renata Wolińska 1, Maria Zalewska 1, Piotr Poznański 2, Agata Nawrocka 2, Agnieszka Kowalczyk 1, Mariusz Sacharczuk 1 2, Magdalena Bujalska-Zadrożny 1
Affiliations 

Abstract

Background:Cannabis sativa L. and its products are becoming popular for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. One of the main phytocannabinoids contained in cannabis is cannabidiol (CBD), which is a component of numerous cosmetic preparations used to treat inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis. However, current data regarding the efficacy and safety of CBD for dermatological indications are limited. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of high-CBD Cannabis sativa L. extract (eCBD) in a model of AD.

Methods: Dermatitis was induced by repeated application of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) to the skin of the rats’ ears. The therapeutic effect of eCBD was evaluated in behavioral, histopathological, and hematological studies following topical application as an ointment containing 2% CBD.

Results: Application of the ointment containing eCBD resulted in attenuation of DNCB-induced inflammation. Interestingly, an anti-edematous effect was more pronounced in rats treated with the eCBD than in rats treated with 1% hydrocortisone ointment. However, eCBD did not reduce the frequency of DNCB-induced scratching, while there was a visible antipruritic effect of 1% hydrocortisone application. Histopathological analysis revealed that both eCBD and 1% hydrocortisone ointments significantly decreased mast cell count compared with the Vaseline control group. Furthermore, treatment with an ointment containing eCBD resulted in a decrease in the number of leukocytes in the blood.

Conclusions: Topically administered eCBD had a stronger anti-edematous effect than glucocorticosteroid and differently affected hematological parameters. It is suggested that eCBD has therapeutic potential for the treatment of AD.

Keywords: Cannabis sativa L.; cannabidiol (CBD); dermatitis; rats.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Novak N., Bieber T., Leung D.Y. Immune mechanisms leading to atopic dermatitis. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 2003;112((Suppl. S6)):S128–S139. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2003.09.032. – DOI – PubMed
    1. Blome C., Radtke M.A., Eissing L., Augustin M. Quality of Life in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: Disease Burden, Measurement, and Treatment Benefit. Am. J. Clin. Dermatol. 2016;17:163–169. doi: 10.1007/s40257-015-0171-3. – DOI – PubMed
    1. David Boothe W., Tarbox J.A., Tarbox M.B. Atopic Dermatitis: Pathophysiology. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 2017;1027:21–37. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-64804-0_3. – DOI – PubMed
    1. Eckert E. Histopathological and Immunohistological Aspects of Atopic Eczema. In: Ruzicka T., Ring J., Przybilla B., editors. Handbook of Atopic Eczema. Springer; Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany: 1991. pp. 127–131. – DOI
    1. Leung D.Y. Atopic dermatitis: The skin as a window into the pathogenesis of chronic allergic diseases. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 1995;96:302–318; quiz 319. doi: 10.1016/S0091-6749(95)70049-8. – DOI – PubMed

Grants and funding

The study was supported by statutory funds received from the Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. In addition, this study was carried out with the use of CePT infrastructure financed by the European Union—the European Regional Development Fund within the Operational Programme ‘Innovative economy’ for 2007–2013.

LinkOut – more resources

Stay informed with the latest scientific insights, evidence-based independent research and discoveries on the ECS, cannabis medicine and more

Revolutionary Research on the ECS, cannabinoids and cannabis-based medicine for healthcare from a trusted nonprofit.

Leave a Reply