Abstract

The legalization of cannabis in Canada resulted in an increased consumption of cannabis and cannabis-related products by the Canadian population. Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the active chemicals within the cannabis plant. It is of particular interest because it is thought to suppress T cells, which are an integral part of the adaptive immune system. Suppressing T cells is not the desired effect for most individuals consuming cannabis. One of the problems with commercially available CBD is a lack of information on safe or effective amounts. More research needs to be conducted to determine if CBD at various doses causes health problems or can be therapeutic in patients with autoimmunity. The objectives were: (1) to determine the most effective way to deliver CBD in vitro by testing different solvents, (2) to investigate whether CBD alters the amount of the IL-2 cytokine produced by T cells, and (3) to examine the effects of CBD dose on T cell death. The findings demonstrated (1) glycerol was determined to be a better solvent compared to DMSO, (2) CBD causes cell death and decreased Il-2 production in T cells and PBMCs at higher doses.

The relevance of these findings is to better understand the interplay between CBD and the immune system by elucidating what a safe and effective dose of CBD might be for suppressing cytokine production in T cells. The results of thesis also pave the ground for future studies on the mechanism of action of CBD on T cells.