Cannabidiol synergizes with methotrexate to attenuate rheumatoid arthritis via STAT3/NF-κB signalling-mediated M1 macrophage polarization - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #methotrexate
- #rheumatoid arthritis
- #cannabidiol
- Cannabidiol (CBD) combined with methotrexate (MTX) shows synergistic effects in reducing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) symptoms like joint swelling and bone erosion in mice.
- The CBD-MTX combination allows for lower MTX doses (dose-sparing effect) while maintaining efficacy, potentially reducing MTX-related adverse events such as testicular toxicity.
- Mechanistically, the combination inhibits M1 macrophage polarization and proinflammatory cytokine secretion (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β) by suppressing STAT3 and NF-κB signalling pathways.
- CBD mitigates MTX-induced reproductive toxicity, including testicular damage and spermatogenic failure, highlighting safety benefits of the combination.
- The study provides preclinical evidence supporting the CBD-MTX combination as a novel strategy for RA treatment, with enhanced anti-inflammatory effects and reduced toxicity.