What topics does this cannabis study cover?

This study covers research on: Inflammation.

Where was this research published?

Published in Journal of complementary & integrative medicine on September 16, 2026.

In rats, cannabis altered liver markers; vitamin C helped at lower doses

Q: What did this research study find?

In male Wistar rats, oral *Cannabis sativa* exposure for **three weeks** significantly altered multiple liver-function biomarkers compared with controls.

Mitigating Cannabis sativa-induced liver toxicity in male Wistar rats: protective role of vitamin C.

Journal of complementary & integrative medicine • September 16, 2026 • Highly Relevant

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AI Summary

This animal study investigated whether oral Cannabis sativa exposure alters liver function in male Wistar rats and whether vitamin C offers protection. Rats received 2, 4, or 6 mg/kg of Cannabis sativa, vitamin C, or both for three weeks, with untreated animals serving as controls. The abstract does not report the number of animals studied.

Compared with controls, all tested cannabis doses significantly (p<0.05) increased several liver-related biomarkers, including gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), bilirubin, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), while decreasing albumin and induced protein. These changes were greater at 6 mg/kg than at the lower doses. Co-administration of vitamin C reduced the biomarker changes at 2 and 4 mg/kg, but the abstract does not show that it protected against the highest exposure. Because this was a short-term rat study based on biomarkers, it cannot establish liver toxicity or vitamin C treatment effectiveness in humans; this is an abstract-based summary, not a full-text review.

💡 Key Findings

In male Wistar rats, oral Cannabis sativa exposure for three weeks significantly altered multiple liver-function biomarkers compared with controls.

Good

60%

The biomarker changes were more pronounced at 6 mg/kg than at 2 or 4 mg/kg, indicating a stronger laboratory response at the highest tested exposure.

Good

60%

Vitamin C attenuated the biomarker alterations at 2 and 4 mg/kg of Cannabis sativa, but protection at 6 mg/kg was not demonstrated in the abstract.

Good

60%

The findings suggest possible hepatotoxicity in this rat model, but the study does not establish equivalent effects, clinical liver injury, or treatment benefit in humans.

High

85%

📄 Original Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the effects of Cannabis sativa (CS) on hepatotoxicity as well as the protective effects of Vit C against cannabis-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. METHODS: Different doses (2, 4, and 6 mg) of CS and Vit C (4 mg) were administered orally, both individually and in combination, for a period of three weeks. All animals had unrestricted access to feed and water and were sacrificed at the end of the treatment period. Liver function biomarkers were evaluated using standard analytical methods. RESULTS: Administration of CS at doses of 2, 4, and 6 mg/kg significantly (p<0.05) increased the levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), bilirubin, and creatinine, while significantly (p<0.05) decreasing albumin and induced protein (IP), compared to the control group. The effects were more pronounced at the 6 mg/kg dose relative to the lower doses. However, co-administration with Vit C significantly attenuated these alterations at the lower doses (2 and 4 mg/kg) of CS. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that CS induces alterations in liver function biomarkers indicative of hepatotoxicity, while Vit C exhibits a protective effect at lower exposure levels. Further studies are warranted to determine whether higher doses of Vit C can effectively mitigate liver damage associated with higher doses of CS.