Anti-seizure and anti-inflammatory actions of CBD in a rat model of status epilepticus

Even though impairment of blood-brain barrier (BBB) function is known to be a cause and a consequence of seizures in epileptic patients, there are no therapeutic options that target this problem. Cannabinoids are terpenophenolic molecules that exhibit potential therapeutic activity in a number of pathophysiological conditions. Although there are over 100 known cannabinoids, there is particular interest in the anti-inflammatory and anti-convulsant actions of CBD, which does not bind to CB1 cannabinoid receptors and thus is non-intoxicating. Perhaps the most publicized case for medicinal CBD is that of Charlotte Figi, a child born with Dravet Syndrome, a condition plagued by severe myoclonic epilepsy. Although she was resistant to conventional anti-convulsant therapies, her seizures were dramatically reduced by EpidiolexÒ, a CBD-based medication marketed by GW Pharmaceuticals. CBD is marketed as having beneficial actions in a huge number of pathological conditions, but the science is well behind the marketing for cannbis/hemp-derived medications. The effects of CBD are said to be “pleiotropic” in nature, meaning that it has pharmacological interactions with many different neurobiological targets. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase may underlie the anti-inflammatory actions that will be studied in our proposal.