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Updated: Jul 18, 2025

Tobacco Hornworm as an Insect Model System for Cannabinoid Pre-clinical Studies
Published on: December 29, 2021
Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Action of Cannabidiol
Nadia Martinez Naya1, Jazmin Kelly1, Giuliana Corna2,3
1Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA.
Abstract:
Cannabidiol (CBD) is the primary non-psychoactive chemical from Cannabis Sativa, a plant used for centuries for both recreational and medicinal purposes. CBD lacks the psychotropic effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and has shown great therapeutic potential. CBD exerts a wide spectrum of effects at a molecular, cellular, and organ level, affecting inflammation, oxidative damage, cell survival, pain, vasodilation, and excitability, among others, modifying many physiological and pathophysiological processes. There is evidence that CBD may be effective in treating several human disorders, like anxiety, chronic pain, psychiatric pathologies, cardiovascular diseases, and even cancer. Multiple cellular and pre-clinical studies using animal models of disease and several human trials have shown that CBD has an overall safe profile. In this review article, we summarize the pharmacokinetics data, the putative mechanisms of action of CBD, and the physiological effects reported in pre-clinical studies to give a comprehensive list of the findings and major effects attributed to this compound.
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