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Updated: Jun 26, 2026
A Neonatal BALB/c Mouse Model of Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Published on: November 30, 2021
Cannabidiol decreases histological intestinal injury in a neonatal experimental model of necrotizing enterocolitis
Nerea Huertos Soto1, Juan Manuel Gómez Cervantes2,3, María Jesús Fernández Aceñero4,3
1Physiopathology and neurological therapy of INA (NEURO-INA-IN). Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC). Community of Madrid's Youth Employment Program (PEJ-2021 AI/BMD 21347), Madrid, Spain.
Background:
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe inflammatory bowel disease in neonates. Our group has developed an experimental model of NEC, with an effectiveness of 73%. Cannabidiol (CBD) is an innovative treatment for neonatal cerebral hypoxic-ischemic pathologies due to its neuroprotective effect, as a potent anti-inflammatory and reducing oxidative stress substance. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of CBD on intestinal lesions in an experimental model of NEC.
Results:
Mortality and intestinal histological damage was significantly lower in the CBD group compared to the rest (p<0.05), establishing CBD as a protective factor against the development of NEC (OR=0.0255; 95% CI=0.0015-0.4460). At IHQ level (TUNEL technique), a lower cell death rate was also observed in the CBD group compared to the VEH group (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
In our experimental model, intraperitoneal CBD acts as a protective factor against NEC, resulting in less histological damage and a lower rate of intestinal cell death.
