Cannabidiol Decreases Intestinal Inflammation in the Ovariectomized Murine Model of Postmenopause

Cannabidiol (CBD) (25 mg/kg peroral) treatment was shown to improve metabolic outcomes in ovariectomized (OVX) mice deficient in 17β-estradiol (E2). Herein, CBD effects on intestinal and hepatic bile acids (BAs) and inflammation were investigated. Following RNA sequencing of colon tissues from vehicle (VEH)- or CBD-treated sham surgery (SS) or OVX mice (n = 4 per group), differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were sorted in ShinyGO. Inflammatory response and bile secretion pathways were further analyzed. Colon content and hepatic BAs were quantified by LC-MS (n = 8-10 samples/group). Gut organoids were treated with CBD (100, 250, 500 µM) with or without TNFα and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) followed by mRNA extraction and qPCR to assess CBD-induced changes to inflammatory markers. The expression of 78 out of 114 inflammatory response pathway genes were reduced in CBD-treated OVX mice relative to vehicle (VEH)-treated OVX mice. In contrast, 63 of 111 inflammatory response pathway genes were increased in CBD-treated sham surgery (SS) mice compared to VEH-treated SS group and 71 of 121 genes were increased due to ovariectomy. CBD did not alter BA profiles in colon content or liver. CBD repressed Tnf and Nos2 expression in intestinal organoids in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, CBD suppressed colonic inflammatory gene expression in E2-deficient mice but was pro-inflammatory in E2-sufficient mice suggesting CBD activity in the intestine is E2-dependent.