“Current therapies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as olsalazine and cyclosporine, often exhibit limited long-term efficacy and are associated with adverse effects. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid, shows promise for its anti-inflammatory properties, though its effectiveness as a monotherapy remains inconclusive.
This study investigates the therapeutic potential of combining low-dose CBD (10 mg/kg) with olsalazine (50 mg/kg) or cyclosporine (2.5, 5 mg/kg) in dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)-induced acute and chronic colitis models in mice.
Disease severity was assessed via disease activity index (DAI), colon morphology, cytokine and chemokine expression, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, systemic inflammatory markers, and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) regulation. Safety evaluations included haematology and plasma biochemistry. DSS-treated mice showed elevated DAI scores, colon shortening, heightened inflammation, and organ enlargement. Combination therapies significantly ameliorated colitis, reducing DAI, MPO activity, and inflammatory cytokines, while restoring colon length and GLP-1 levels-without inducing liver or kidney toxicity.
These findings demonstrate that combining a low dose of CBD with standard IBD drugs enhances therapeutic efficacy while minimizing side effects, supporting its integration into future combination strategies for more effective and safer IBD management.”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40869234/
“Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid derived from Cannabis sativa, has emerged as a promising therapeutic candidate for the treatment of inflammatory conditions, including IBD. CBD’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects are mediated through multiple pathways, including the modulation of cytokine production, inhibition of oxidative stress, and interaction with the endocannabinoidome (eCBome).”
“Collectively, our data provide a strong preclinical rationale for leveraging low-dose CBD to enhance the efficacy of existing IBD therapies. The reproducible synergistic effects observed in acute and chronic colitis models—spanning clinical, morphological, molecular, metabolic, and safety domains—underscore CBD’s potential as a safer adjunct agent. CBD co-therapy with CSA or olsalazine offers a multifaceted approach to IBD treatment—achieving superior disease suppression, preserving intestinal and systemic homeostasis, and maintaining an acceptable safety profile. This strategy holds promise for improving patient outcomes while potentially reducing the doses and side effects of conventional IBD drugs. Clinical trials will be essential to confirm safety and efficacy in human IBD patients.”