Cannabinoids in the Modulation of Oxidative Signaling

Cannabis sativa-derived compounds, such as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), and components of the endocannabinoids system, such as N-arachidonoylethanolamide (anandamide, AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), are extensively studied to investigate their numerous biological effects, including powerful antioxidant effects. Indeed, a series of recent studies have indicated that many disorders are characterized by alterations in the intracellular antioxidant system, which lead to biological macromolecule damage. These pathological conditions are characterized by an unbalanced, and most often increased, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. For this study, it was of interest to investigate and recapitulate the antioxidant properties of these natural compounds, for the most part CBD and THC, on the production of ROS and the modulation of the intracellular redox state, with an emphasis on their use in various pathological conditions in which the reduction of ROS can be clinically useful, such as neurodegenerative disorders, inflammatory conditions, autoimmunity, and cancers. The further development of ROS-based fundamental research focused on cannabis sativa-derived compounds could be beneficial for future clinical applications.