Potential Therapeutic Effects of Lebanese Cannabis oil in Female Mouse Models of Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Abstract

The Cannabis plant is the most versatile herbal remedy used for the treatment of various medical conditions, including pain, epilepsy, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Stress is a normal part of life, and stress responses can vary in different people. Stress-susceptible individuals become prone to depression, while resilient individuals lead a normal life. Limited literature is available about the pharmacological effects of Lebanese Cannabis oil on depression and anxiety disorders. Accordingly, the current research study examined the therapeutic effects of Cannabis oil extracted from the Lebanese Cannabis sativa plant on resilience to stress and its ability to rescue depression and anxiety-like behaviors in female animal models. Pre-treatment and post-treatment protocols were carried out using Cannabis oil to evaluate its anti-depressive effects. In the pre-treatment protocol, female C57BL/6 mice received daily injections of Cannabis oil (5 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg) for five days before and during the induction of depression-like behavior by using several types of stressors for nine days. At the end of the stress paradigm, the animal behavioral was assessed using the social interaction (SI) test. In the post-treatment protocol, female C57BL/6 mice were subjected to daily Chronic Variable Stress (CVS) for nine days. On day 10, the behavior of the mice was assessed using the SI test and animals were divided into susceptible or resilient to stress. Only animals that were classified as susceptible to stress received vehicle or Lebanese Cannabis oil i.p injection treatment (doses of 5 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg). The results showed that intraperitoneal injections of Lebanese Cannabis oil at doses of 5 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg rescued depression-like behaviors induced by the CVS. Therefore, Cannabis oil significantly rescues social avoidance behavior and promotes social interaction. These promising findings call for additional studies to gain a better understanding of the potential effect of Lebanese Cannabis oil on stress and anxiety disorders by studying the effects of whole plant or its major phytocannabinoids, Cannabidiol (CBD) and/or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).