PUBLICATION
Effects of super-class cannabis terpenes beta-caryophyllene and alpha-pinene on zebrafish behavioural biomarkers
- Authors
- Johnson, A., Stewart, A., El-Hakim, I., Hamilton, T.J.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-221018-76
- Date
- 2022
- Source
- Scientific Reports 12: 17250 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Hamilton, Trevor
- Keywords
- none
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Anti-Anxiety Agents*
- Bicyclic Monoterpenes
- Biomarkers
- Cannabis*
- Hallucinogens*
- Hypnotics and Sedatives
- Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes
- Terpenes/pharmacology
- Zebrafish
- PubMed
- 36241680 Full text @ Sci. Rep.
Citation
Johnson, A., Stewart, A., El-Hakim, I., Hamilton, T.J. (2022) Effects of super-class cannabis terpenes beta-caryophyllene and alpha-pinene on zebrafish behavioural biomarkers. Scientific Reports. 12:17250.
Abstract
Terpenes possess a wide range of medicinal properties and are potential therapeutics for a variety of pathological conditions. This study investigated the acute effects of two cannabis terpenes, β-caryophyllene and α-pinene, on zebrafish locomotion, anxiety-like, and boldness behaviour using the open field exploration and novel object approach tests. β-caryophyllene was administered in 0.02%, 0.2%, 2.0%, and 4% doses. α-pinene was administered in 0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.1% doses. As α-pinene is a racemic compound, we also tested its (+) and (-) enantiomers to observe any differential effects. β-caryophyllene had only a sedative effect at the highest dose tested. α-pinene had differing dose-dependent effects on anxiety-like and motor variables. Specifically, (+)-α-pinene and (-)-α-pinene had significant effects on anxiety measures, time spent in the thigmotaxis (outer) or center zone, in the open field test, as well as locomotor variables, swimming velocity and immobility. (+ /-)-α-pinene showed only a small effect on the open field test on immobility at the 0.1% dose. This study demonstrates that α-pinene can have a sedative or anxiolytic effect in zebrafish and may have different medicinal properties when isolated into its (+) or (-) enantiomers.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping