As Caribbean countries continue to build out their medical cannabis industries, researchers are exploring the potential health benefits of the plant beyond pain relief.
Among the medical investigators is Deidre Shepherd, an MPhil Pharmacology student at UWI Cave Hill. Her research examines whether cannabinoids, compounds found in cannabis, could help treat high blood pressure by improving blood vessel function.
Endothelial dysfunction is a condition where blood vessels don’t work properly due to an imbalance of chemicals. Over time, this can lead to coronary heart disease caused by plaque buildup in arteries or atherosclerosis.
With hypertension on the rise, doubling between 2000 and 2010 in low- to middle-income countries – Shepherd’s work could help uncover new treatment options. Furthermore, 71% of global deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases, with 44% linked to heart-related conditions.
Currently, doctors treat endothelial dysfunction with medications like ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and statins. But with cannabis already used for conditions like epilepsy, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, and cancer, Shepherd believes it could also benefit vascular health.
Her study, done in two phases, pays particular attention to synthetic cannabinoids and their impact on nitric oxide production, a molecule that helps blood vessels function properly. First, lab testing will examine how the body’s endocannabinoid system affects nitric oxide levels. This will be followed by animal studies during which testing will focus on how cannabinoids influence blood vessel function in rats with induced endothelial dysfunction.
Shepherd presented her work at the 9th Annual Faculty of Medical Sciences Graduate Symposium held in 2022.
