Cannabinoids Can Enhance Cartilage Repair, Finds New Study
Cannabinoids enhance tissue engineering strategies aimed at cartilage repair through a dual function approach, according to a new study published in the journal Pharmaceuticals. The study was published online by the National Institute of Health.
“This review discusses the role of the cannabinoid system in cartilage tissue and endeavors to establish if targeting the cannabinoid system has potential in mesenchymal stem cell based tissue-engineered cartilage repair strategies”, begins the study. “The review discusses the potential of cannabinoids to protect against the degradation of cartilage in inflamed arthritic joints and the influence of cannabinoids on the chondrocyte precursors, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).
For the study, researchers “provide experimental evidence to show that activation of the cannabinoid system enhances the survival, migration and chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs, which are three major tenets behind the success of a cell-based tissue-engineered cartilage repair strategy.”
The study concludes; “These findings highlight the potential for cannabinoids to provide a dual function by acting as anti-inflammatory agents as well as regulators of MSC biology in order to enhance tissue engineering strategies aimed at cartilage repair.”
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Dublin in Ireland, click here.