CBD To Treat Heart Failure? New Study Shows Its Cardioprotective Effects

On Tuesday, Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. CRDL CRDL announced positive study results demonstrating that subcutaneously administered cannabidiol - the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Cardiol's novel CRD-38 subcutaneous (SUBQ) formulation - slowed increases in body weight and heart weight, and prevented increases in key cardiac inflammatory and remodeling markers in a model of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

The study was presented by researchers from Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico, one of its international collaborating research centers, at the Heart Failure Society of America Annual Scientific Meeting 2023.

The new findings expand the understanding of the cardioprotective effects of CRD-38 and suggest new therapeutic potential in HFpEF, which remains a leading cause of death and hospitalization in the United States and the developed world.

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The Study

The study was performed using a model of HFpEF that is induced using a combination of a high-fat diet and hypertension that leads to an increase in heart weight to tibia length ratio and an increase in markers for inflammation and cardiac remodeling.

Cannabidiol administered SUBQ was associated with significantly lower BNP (a cardiac stress marker raised in heart failure patients), IL-10 (a promotor of fibrosis in HFpEF), and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) to subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) ratio.

The ratio of VAT/SAT holds critical significance in the context of heart failure. Visceral adipose tissue, the fatty tissue stored around internal organs, is metabolically active and releases inflammatory factors contributing to systemic inflammation. In contrast, subcutaneous adipose tissue beneath the skin has a less detrimental impact.

An imbalance in this ratio with excessive visceral adipose tissue is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart failure. Visceral fat accumulation increases cardiac strain, promotes hypertension, and dysregulates lipid metabolism. Additionally, it can lead to obesity-related comorbidities such as diabetes. Managing this ratio could be essential in preventing and treating heart failure.

CRDL Price Action

Cardiol Therapeutics' shares traded 12.5218% higher at $0.9013 per share at the time of writing on Tuesday.

Photo: Benzinga edit of images by Robina Weermeijer and Paul Einerhand on Unsplash