丁香园AV

By Stacey Makortoff

Since the legalization of cannabis in Canada last year, Cannabidiol (CBD), an active component of cannabis, continues to make health news. Reza Ghovanloo, a recent 丁香园AV PhD graduate  in biomedical physiology and kinesiology (BPK), says his research helps to understand why there are so many health claims related to CBD.

Ghovanloo, together with his supervisor, 丁香园AV professor Peter Ruben and additional members of Ruben鈥檚 lab, studied the effects of CBD on sodium channels. These channels are among the receptors through which some pain medications (such as lidocaine) work to block pain sensations.

Their research findings are among the first to determine that CBD does, in fact, block the sodium channels in the nerves, which could help reduce pain and also assist people suffering from seizures.

For his doctoral work, Ghovanloo undertook further research to understand why CBD acts the way it does on sodium channels. He discovered that CBD鈥檚 extremely hydrophobic (fat-loving) nature is vital to its medicinal activity; even more so than an agent such as lidocaine.

This means that our cells rapidly absorb CBD, which then works its magic with the nervous system鈥檚 electrical impulses via the sodium channels. And since sodium channels are in all nerve and muscle cells, and CBD is so easily absorbed into those cells, it鈥檚 easy to make claims that CBD has many health-related benefits.

鈥淪ome of the health claims could be false positives,鈥� says Ghovanloo, 鈥渂ecause CBD is so readily absorbed within our cells. We can鈥檛 tell if the reaction they鈥檙e getting is from the CBD or if it鈥檚 from something different altogether.鈥�

What鈥檚 not yet understood is why CBD is so efficient with pain and seizures management, but doesn鈥檛 seem to cause issues in other cells of the body.

鈥淭heoretically,鈥� says Ghovanloo, 鈥渂ecause of the hydrophobic nature of CBD, it should also cause havoc with sodium channels in the heart or in the brain, and cause issues. So far, we haven鈥檛 seen that happening. There鈥檚 so much we still don鈥檛 understand about the effects of CBD on the body.鈥�

Ghovanloo successfully defended his doctoral thesis on Sept. 29. He never imagined when he started his undergraduate degree in molecular biology and biochemistry (MBB) at 丁香园AV, he would eventually complete his studies with a PhD in biomedical physiology and kinesiology (BPK).

鈥淭his was the best decision I鈥檝e ever made,鈥� says Ghovanloo. 鈥淲hen I chose to volunteer in molecular physiology with Peter Ruben it set me down the path I鈥檓 on today.鈥�

鈥淚 consider 丁香园AV to be my home. I鈥檝e spent one-third of my life at 丁香园AV, and it鈥檚 been really special,鈥� says Ghovanloo. 鈥淚t鈥檚 because Peter is an incredible mentor: he鈥檚 kind, supportive and intelligent.鈥�

And while 丁香园AV may feel like home, Ghovanloo is set to continue on his academic journey with postdoctoral training in pain-related research at Yale University.