Cannabidiol did not induce teratogenicity or neurotoxicity in exposed zebrafish embryos

Author(s)

Valim Brigante, Tamires Amabile ^[1] ; Abe, Flavia R. ^[1] ; Zuardi, Antonio Waldo ^{[2, 3]} ; Cecilio Hallak, Jaime Eduardo ^{[2, 3]} ; Crippa, Jose Alexandre S. ^{[2, 3]} ; de Oliveira, Danielle P. ^{[1, 4]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Pharmaceut Sci Ribeirao Preto, BR-14040903 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] Conselho Nacl Desenvolvimento Cient & Tecnol CNPq, Natl Inst Sci & Technol Translat Med INCT TM, Brasilia, DF - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Med Sch, Dept Neurosci & Behav Sci, BR-14048900 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[4] Conselho Nacl Desenvolvimento Cient & Tecnol CNPq, Natl Inst Sci & Technol Detect Toxicol Evaluat &, Brasilia, DF - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Chemico-Biological Interactions; v. 291, p. 81-86, AUG 1 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 7

Abstract

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychotomimetic compound of the Cannabis sativa that has been used for the treatment of severe epilepsy as well as other diseases of nervous system. However, toxicity studies of CBD have great relevance to guarantee the patients safety. In this context, morphological analyses of zebrafish can contribute to evaluate the teratogenic potential, as well as evaluation of acetylcholinesterase activity and motor activity of zebrafish are valuable tools to verify the neurotoxicity potential. In the present work, we use this methodology to test the toxicity of CBD to zebrafish embryos. No malformation was observed in morphological analysis of embryos exposed to all tested concentrations of CBD. Although, twenty per cent of embryos exposed to maximal dose of CBD (300 mu g/L) hatched after 96hpf, while embryos in control solution had already hatched in this period. Embryos exposed to CBD did not show differences in acetylcholinesterase activity, but embryos exposed to CBD 20-300 mu g/L were 1.4 up to 1.7-fold more active when compared to the control. Despite that, at 48 hpf, motor activity returned to control values. Our results suggest that the effects observed after CBD exposure are intimately related to CB1 receptor that is present in zebrafish since early stages of development. The present work showed early light effects induced by CBD exposure in concentrations that did not alter biochemical activity. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/50891-1 - INCT 2014: Translational Medicine
• Grantee: Jaime Eduardo Cecilio Hallak
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/03281-9 - HIGH-THROUGHPUT SCREENING ANALYSIS FOR TOXICITY ASSESSMENT ON NEUROBEHAVIORAL AND DEVELOPMENT DAMAGE INDUCED ON ZEBRAFISH EMBRYOS EXPOSED TO EMERGING CONTAMINANTS
• Grantee: Danielle Palma de Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants