Effects of marijuana smoke on the mouse lung
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1
University of Pécs, SPP, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Hungary
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2
University of Pécs and Gedeon Richter, Analgesic Research Laboratory, Hungary
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3
University of Pécs, Surgery Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Hungary
Although the central nervous system effects of marijuana smoke has been extensively studied, there are less and contradictory data on its peripheral actions. Since human case reports described emphysema and lung inflammation in marijuana smokers, the aim of the present study was to examine these alterations in a predictive mouse model.
Male CD1 mice were exposed to smoke of cigarettes containing chopped dried marijuana (0.4+0.02w/w%. THC; 2 cigarettes twice a day throughout 1-3-months). Experiments with research cigarettes were paralelly performed for comparison. Airway reactivity to inhaled carbachol was measured with unrestrained whole body plethysmography and the total cannabinoid content of the urine was determined every week. Histological examination was performed, myeloperoxidase activity as a marker of granulocyte accumulation and IL-1 concentration were measurement from the lung samples.
Prominent bronchial hyperreactivity was observed from the second week in the marijuana-exposed group and only from the middle of the third month in cigarette smoke-exposed mice, the extent was significantly smaller in the latter group. The histological pictures showed definitive inflammatory changes such as infiltration of activated macrophages, perivascular oedema, atelectasia and emphysema particularly in the apical regions in response to 1 month marijuana administration. At 2 and 3 months the number of inflammatory cells and the empysema markedly increased, goblet cell hyperplasia, perivascular granulocyte accumulation and large number of eosinophilic giant cells were also observed. In the cigarette smoke-exposed group inflammation and emphysema appeared later and the histopathological changes were markedly less severe. Myeloperoxidase content and IL-1 concentrations were markedly elevated in both groups.
These data clearly show that marihuana smoke induces more severe inflammation, emphysema and hyperresponsiveness in the mouse airways than the conventional cigarettes.
Conference:
IBRO International Workshop 2010, Pécs, Hungary, 21 Jan - 23 Jan, 2010.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Abstracts
Citation:
Elekes
K,
Sándor
K,
Szoke
E,
Tóth
D,
Molnár
TF,
Szolcsányi
J,
Markovics
A,
Jakab
L,
Mester
M,
Szitter
I and
Helyes
Z
(2010). Effects of marijuana smoke on the mouse lung.
Front. Neurosci.
Conference Abstract:
IBRO International Workshop 2010.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2010.10.00198
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Received:
03 May 2010;
Published Online:
03 May 2010.
*
Correspondence:
Krisztián Elekes, University of Pécs, SPP, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Pécs, Hungary, krisztian.elekes@aok.pte.hu