Cannabis Can Prevent Liver Damage from Alcohol

In a joint study done by Mount Sinai in New York and the School of Public Health in China, it was found that Cannabidiol protects liver from binge alcohol-induced steatosis by mechanisms including inhibition of oxidative stress and increase in autophagy. This is very good news for cannabis consumers and the alcohol industry. For years cannabis connoisseurs have been experimenting with blending the two substances. One example is Potka.  More research is needed. Here is a statement from the *researchers:  “We evaluated whether cannabidiol, which has been reported to function as an antioxidant, can protect the liver from alcohol-generated oxidative stress-induced steatosis. Cannabidiol can prevent acute alcohol-induced liver steatosis in mice, possibly by preventing the increase in oxidative stress and the activation of the JNK MAPK pathway. Cannabidiol per se can increase autophagy both in CYP2E1-expressing HepG2 cells and in mouse liver. Importantly, cannabidiol can prevent the decrease in autophagy induced by alcohol.”




(A) H&E staining and (B) oil red O staining showing increased lipid accumulation in mouse liver after binge alcohol treatment. CBD decreases this lipid accumulation (image 4 compared to image 3 in (A) and (B)).

*Lili Yanga

Raphael Rozenfeldb

Defeng Wub, 

Lakshmi A. Devib

Zhenfeng Zhangc

Arthur Cederbaumb

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