Full-spectrum cannabis extract protected gut and organs after stroke in rats

Full-spectrum cannabis extract (15 or 30 mg/kg) given by gavage after middle cerebral artery occlusion improved neurological deficits, reduced intestinal permeability, lowered serum corticosterone, decreased immune cell counts, and protected against post-stroke oxidative stress and lung inflammation at 72 hours.

Male Wistar rats underwent 60-minute middle cerebral artery occlusion or sham surgery. They received full-spectrum cannabis extract (15 or 30 mg/kg) or coconut oil vehicle by gavage at multiple time points post-stroke. At 72 hours, researchers assessed neurological score, infarct volume, blood cells, organ weights, corticosterone, intestinal permeability, oxidative stress, and inflammatory cytokines.

Stroke damage extends far beyond the brain, causing gut barrier breakdown, immune suppression, and multi-organ inflammation. This study is among the first to examine whether cannabis extract can protect these peripheral systems after stroke, finding broad protective effects.

Post-stroke complications involving the gut-brain axis and systemic inflammation are increasingly recognized as major contributors to poor recovery. If cannabis extract can protect gut integrity and reduce multi-organ inflammation, it could represent a novel supportive therapy alongside standard stroke treatments.

This is a rat model of stroke with a 72-hour endpoint, which cannot capture long-term recovery. Only male rats were used. Full-spectrum extracts contain multiple cannabinoids, so the specific active compounds are unclear. The doses and timing may not translate to clinical practice.