Cannabinoid-mediated modulation of renal function in chronic kidney disease (CKD)
Co-applicant(s): Shereen Hamza
Lay Abstract
Background: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) happens when the kidneys slowly become damaged and can no longer do their job properly. Healthy kidneys remove waste from the blood, help control blood pressure, and keep the body’s fluids in balance. When they don’t work well, waste builds up and people can develop other health problems. People with CKD have a higher risk of serious conditions like heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. They may also experience symptoms that are not life-threatening but are uncomfortable, such as pain, itching, skin rashes, and nausea. These symptoms are often not treated well, which lowers quality of life. Since cannabis was legalized in Canada, many people have become interested in using cannabidiol (CBD), a non-intoxicating part of the cannabis plant. Some believe CBD may help manage CKD symptoms like pain or skin problems. However, we do not know what long-term CBD use does to the kidneys, especially in people who already have CKD. CBD might harm kidneys—or it might help protect them and even lower the risk of heart disease. Right now, we simply don’t know.
Purpose: Because it is not safe to test this directly in humans, this study will use an animal model of CKD that closely mimics the human condition. Our goal is to find out how long-term CBD use affects healthy kidneys and kidneys with CKD. We also want to see whether CBD directly affects kidney blood vessels.
Method: We will give CBD to healthy rats and rats with CKD for six weeks. After that, we will measure how well their kidneys and blood vessels are working. We will compare these results to healthy and CKD rats that did not receive CBD.
Anticipated Outcomes: This project will help us understand both the potential benefits and the possible risks of using CBD when someone has CKD.
Patient Engagement: We will work closely with patients and health-care professionals throughout the project. Dr. Abraham, a family physician who treats many CKD patients, will help us connect with patients to learn about experiences with CBD.
Relevance to Patients and the Community: CBD may turn out to be helpful—or harmful—for people with CKD. No matter what we find, the results of this study will give patients, families, and health-care providers better information to guide decisions about using medical or over-the-counter CBD products.
Conclusion: This project will provide important evidence to support future decisions and research on whether CBD is safe and useful for people living with CKD.
