Cannabidiol Treatment in Diabetic Rats

Male ZDF rats (ZDF, n = 12) and the control strain ZDF Lean rats (Lean, n = 12); Charles River, USA) were housed in groups of 2 or 3 in the University of Nottingham Biomedical Services Unit with a 12 h light/dark cycle, a temperature of 22 ± 2°C, and access to Purina 5008 chow and water ad libitum. Rats were treated for 7 days (daily i.p. injection) with either 10 mg/kg CBD or vehicle (in a volume of 1 ml/kg; n = 6 per group). This dose was chosen based on other positive studies with CBD in diabetic models which have used 5 (Weiss et al., 2008 (link)), 10 (El-Remessy et al., 2010 (link); Toth et al., 2010 (link)), or 20 (Rajesh et al., 2010 (link); Toth et al., 2010 (link)) mg/kg. Pure CBD was dissolved in a vehicle of 3:1:16 solution of ethanol: Tween 80: 0.9% Saline. All procedures were in accordance with the UK Home Office Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Following the treatment period, the rats (aged 12–13 weeks old) were stunned by a percussive blow to the head, and killed by cervical dislocation. Post-mortem blood samples were collected, and serum extracted by centrifugation (1000 g for 10 min) and then frozen (-80°C) for later use. Blood glucose concentrations were measured using an Accu-Chek Aviva blood glucose monitoring system (Roche Diagnostics Ltd., Mannheim, Germany).