title: A cannabigerol-rich Cannabis sativa extract, devoid of [INCREMENT]9-tetrahydrocannabinol, elicits hyperphagia in rats.
abstract: Nonpsychoactive phytocannabinoids (pCBs) from Cannabis sativa may represent novel therapeutic options for cachexia because of their pleiotropic pharmacological activities, including appetite stimulation. We have recently shown that purified cannabigerol (CBG) is a novel appetite stimulant in rats. As standardized extracts from Cannabis chemotypes dominant in one pCB [botanical drug substances (BDSs)] often show greater efficacy and/or potency than purified pCBs, we investigated the effects of a CBG-rich BDS, devoid of psychoactive [INCREMENT]-tetrahydrocannabinol, on feeding behaviour. Following a 2 h prefeed satiation procedure, 16 male Lister-hooded rats were administered CBG-BDS (at 30-240 mg/kg) or vehicle. Food intake, meal pattern microstructure and locomotor activity were recorded over 2 h. The total food intake was increased by 120 and 240 mg/kg CBG-BDS (1.53 and 1.36 g, respectively, vs. 0.56 g in vehicle-treated animals). Latency to feeding onset was dose dependently decreased at all doses, and 120 and 240 mg/kg doses increased both the number of meals consumed and the cumulative size of the first two meals. No significant effect was observed on ambulatory activity or rearing behaviour. CBG-BDS is a novel appetite stimulant, which may have greater potency than purified CBG, despite the absence of [INCREMENT]-tetrahydrocannabinol in the extract.
authors.affiliation: aSchool of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences bSchool of Chemistry, Food and Nutritional Sciences, and Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading cGW Research Ltd, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Daniel I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Brierley
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Samuels
authors.forename: Marnie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Whalley
authors.forename: Claire M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019167:Appetite Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D002100:Cachexia / Q000188:drug therapy; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002188:Cannabis / Q000737:chemistry*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D019167:Appetite Stimulants; D002186:Cannabinoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; C037036:cannabigerol