The nonpsychoactive Cannabis constituent cannabidiol is a wake-inducing agent.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a constituent of Cannabis sativa that induces nonpsychotropic effects, and some of its biological actions in sleep have been described by the authors' group. Here, the authors report that when administered 10 or 20 microg/1 microl during the lights-on period directly into either lateral hypothalamus (LH) or dorsal raphe nuclei (DRN), which are wake-inducing brain areas, CBD enhanced wakefulness and decreased slow wave sleep and REM sleep. Furthermore, CBD increased alpha and theta power spectra but diminished delta power spectra. Additionally, CBD increased c-Fos expression in LH or DRN. These findings suggest that this cannabinoid is a wake-inducing compound that presumably activates neurons in LH and DRN.
Murillo-Rodríguez
Eric
E
Facultad de Medicina, Laboratorio de Neurobiologia, Universidad Autonoma de Campeche, Campeche, Mexico. emurillo@uacam.mx
Millán-Aldaco
Diana
D
Palomero-Rivero
Marcela
M
Mechoulam
Raphael
R
Drucker-Colín
René
R
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002185:Cannabidiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002188:Cannabis / Q000737:chemistry*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D007026:Hypothalamic Area, Lateral / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects*
D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D002185:Cannabidiol