title: Impact of cannabis sativa (marijuana) smoke on alveolar bone loss: a histometric study in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cannabis sativa (marijuana) can interfere with bone physiopathology because of its effect on osteoblast and osteoclast activity. However, its impact on periodontal tissues is still controversial. The present study evaluates whether marijuana smoke affects bone loss (BL) on ligature-induced periodontitis in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty male Wistar rats were used in the study. A ligature was placed around one of the mandible first molars (ligated teeth) of each animal, and they were then randomly assigned to one of two groups: control (n = 15) or marijuana smoke inhalation ([MSI] for 8 minutes per day; n = 15). Urine samples were obtained to detect the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol. After 30 days, the animals were sacrificed and decalcified sections of the furcation area were obtained and evaluated according to the following histometric parameters: bone area (BA), bone density (BD), and BL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tetrahydrocannabinol was positive in urine samples only for the rats of the MSI group. Non-significant differences were observed for unligated teeth from both groups regarding BL, BA, and BD (P >0.05). However, intragroup analysis showed that all ligated teeth presented BL and a lower BA and BD compared to unligated teeth (P <0.05). The intergroup evaluation of the ligated teeth showed that the MSI group presented higher BL and lower BD (P <0.05) compared to ligated teeth from the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering the limitations of this animal study, cannabis smoke may impact alveolar bone by increasing BL resulting from ligature-induced periodontitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON. getulio.nogueira@dentistry.utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Getulio R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Nogueira-Filho
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Todescan
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Bruno T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Urbino da R
authors.initials: Uda R
authors.lastname: Tunes
authors.forename: Joao B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Cesar Neto
mesh_terms: D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D002188:Cannabis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008963:Molar; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar