Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2026
Cigarette Smoke Exposure in Mice using a Whole-Body Inhalation System
Published on: October 22, 2020
Cannabis cigarette smoking disrupts mice multi-organ bioactive lipid metabolism and inflammation-resolution signaling
Gunjan Upadhyay1, Long Duong1, Vasundhara Kain1
1Heart Institute, Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Aims:
Cannabis is legalized in over 35 U.S. states, yet its cardiac effects, particularly alongside omega-6-rich seed oil diets in processed foods, are not well understood. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabis component, offers potential health benefits, but its effects vary with dosage and delivery method (inhalation vs. ingestion). Although CBD modulates leukocytes, its impact on immune-regulated cardiac lipid metabolism remains unclear. This study assessed the influence of cannabis smoke on immune-responsive lipid metabolism in mice fed a control or seed oil-enriched diet.
Materials And Methods:
C57Bl/6J male mice were fed either a control (CON) or omega-6-rich safflower oil (SO) diet for four months. Mice were then exposed to cannabis smoke (SM) for five days (30 min, twice daily), with non-smoking (NSM) mice as controls. CBD and related compounds were measured in plasma, lung, spleen, olfactory bulb, and heart. Lipid mediators were profiled by LC-MS/MS, and immune cell dynamics assessed via flow cytometry.
Key Findings:
Cannabis smoke weakened cardiac global longitudinal strain (GLS). CBD and cannabichromene (CBC) were found in all organs. Inhaled CBD decreased anti-inflammatory lipid mediators (15-HEPE, 13-HDHA) derived from EPA and DHA. The SO diet alone suppressed these mediators, with smoke exposure further reducing levels. SO-fed mice exhibited increased activation of monocytes, dendritic cells, and neutrophils, amplified by CBD inhalation. Histology revealed bronchial thickening and elevated inflammatory markers (ALOX5AP, CCR2) in SO+SM mice.
Significance:
Although CBD inhalation weakened cardiac strain, it also impeded inflammation resolution and enhanced immune activation, indicating sustained inflammation under omega-6 seed oil dietary conditions.
Summary:
This study examines the impact of smoking cannabis (hemp) on cardiac pathophysiology, specifically its effects on heart and immune health in mice fed seed oil-rich diet. While cannabis smoking weakened cardiac strain, it also suppressed key molecules involved in the resolution of inflammation - commonly perceived as safe clearance of inflammation. The standard American seed oil-based diet alone weakened anti-inflammatory responses, and cannabis smoking exacerbated this effect. Cannabis smoking increased immune cell activity and raised inflammation markers as well. These findings suggest that inhaled cannabis disrupts the homeostasis of inflammation-resolution signaling, especially when combined with a seed oil-based diet. This study highlights the potential risks of cannabis use on the heart and immune defense function, particularly in the context of modern processed food diets.
