“Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often termed “forever chemicals,” are a diverse group of persistent fluorinated compounds, including the well-known perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), which has been identified as lethal to bee larvae. However, the risk of PFAS exposure through pollen, a bee’s primary food source, has not been thoroughly investigated.

In controlled greenhouse experiments, Cannabis sativa L. (hemp) plants were cultivated in soil contaminated with eight PFAS compounds. Phytoremediation potential was assessed by measuring bioconcentration factors (BCF) in both the total above-ground biomass and pollen.

The study found that BCF for total PFAS in hemp pollen was significant (>20.8), with over 45% of the total PFAS uptake of around 3,248 μg/kg concentrated in the pollen. Based on these figures, the estimated daily intake (EDI) of PFOS for western honeybees (Apis mellifera) was found to be about 124.5 μg/kg body weight per day.

These findings underscore a critical global threat to pollinator health, with significant implications for agriculture and biodiversity.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39638132/

“Cannabigerol (CBG), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis, has emerged as a promising therapeutic agent with a diverse range of potential applications. Unlike its well-known counterpart tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBG does not induce intoxication, making it an attractive option in the clinic.

Recent research has shed light on CBG’s intriguing molecular mechanisms, highlighting its potential to modulate multiple physiological processes.

This review delves into the current understanding of CBG’s molecular interactions and explores its therapeutic power to alleviate various conditions, including cancer, metabolic, pain, and inflammatory disorders, amongst others.

We discuss how CBG interacts with the endocannabinoid system and other key signaling pathways, such as CB1, CB2, TPR channels, and α2-adrenoceptor, potentially influencing inflammation, pain, neurodegeneration, and other ailments. Additionally, we highlight the ongoing research efforts aimed at elucidating the full spectrum of CBG’s therapeutic potential and its safety profile in clinical settings.

Through this comprehensive analysis, we aim to provide a deeper understanding of CBG’s role in promoting human health and pave the way for future research endeavors.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39598860/

https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/22/5471

“Natural compounds include complex chemical compounds that exist in plants, animals and microbes. Due to their broad spectrum of pharmacological and biochemical actions, they have been widely used to treat multifactorial diseases, including cancer. In addition, their demonstrated neuroprotective properties strongly support their use in the treatment of neurological diseases.

The present study investigated the effect of CBD, which can easily cross the placental barrier and is known to have anti-inflammatory effects, on fetal neuroinflammation and neurogenesis in a systemic inflammation model during pregnancy.

Herein, 12 weeks adult pregnant rats (n=30) were randomly divided into 5 groups with 6 rats in each group as follows: Control, LPS (lipopolysaccharide, i.p.), LPS+CBD 5mg/kg (i.p.), LPS+CBD10 mg/kg (i.p.) and LPS+CBD30 mg/kg (i.p.). After the injections, blood samples of rats were collected, fetuses and placentas were taken by hysterectomy. Histopathological analysis, immunohistochemical staining, ELISA and immunoblotting analysis were performed to investigate neuroinflammatory and neurogenesis parameters in fetal brain and placenta tissues.

Our findings indicated that CBD administration importantly suppressed the inflammatory process in the rat fetal brain by decreasing interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels and diminishing nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation. Moreover, CBD inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced increasing levels of neuroinflammation-associated proteins, including glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), S100B and cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB).

These results suggest that CBD usage in pregnancy with inflammation conditions may be an effective therapeutic option for preventing conditions that may cause neuroinflammation in the fetal brain and adversely affect neurogenesis.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39615608/

“Cannabidiol suppresses LPS-induced systemic inflammation in the fetal brain and placenta tissues. Cannabidiol reduces the level of neuroinflammatory markers in fetal brain tissues.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0890623824002284?via%3Dihub

“Background: Phytochemicals derived from the plant Cannabis sativa hold promise in terms of medicinal value. Cannabinoids such as Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN) are arguably the best characterized and known to possess wide-ranging therapeutic benefits. The mechanism of action for these therapeutic effects remains to be fully elucidated, however, the anti-inflammatory actions are of particular interest. Maximizing therapeutic effects while limiting adverse effects is crucial in pharmaceutical development. Fluorination of natural products often yields molecules with enhanced biological properties and provides opportunities for intellectual property protection not available to the natural product.

Methods: Herein, we describe four novel cannabinoids (a deoxy trifluoroCBN analog (F₃CBN), the racemic cis-deoxy-trifluoro-THC (F₃THC), and truncated pyridine analogs of an intermediate in route to the THC and CBN, SG126 and SG154. Importantly, we provide the initial assessment of the biologic activity of these molecules, by investigating the in vitro effects on metabolic activity (via 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5,-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, MTT assay) and cytokine expression (via enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, ELISA) in human C20 microglial cells.

Results: The cannabinoids examined had minimal to no effect on metabolic activity up to 10 µM. Notably, F₃CBN and F₃THC potentiated interleukin-1 β (IL-1β)-induced expression of interferon-γ inducible protein 10 (CXCL10) and IL-6 expression whereas, SG126 and SG154 were inhibitory.

Conclusions: These findings are foundational for new lines of investigation into the therapeutic potential of four novel fluorinated cannabinoids.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39612133/

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43440-024-00680-8