Effect of Cannabis sativa on Hematological Indices in Rats and Men

Abstract

This study was designed to assess the effects of injection of different doses of petroleum ether extract of Cannabis sativa on important hematological indices in rats. Similar effects in adult men who had been smoking C. sativa for different periods were also assessed. Blood hemoglobin concentration was not affected in both addicted humans and treated rats, whereas blood erythrocyte count (RBC) and total leukocytes count (TWBC) revealed significant (p<0.05) decreases in the group of rats treated with 0.2 mg/g of the extract and 0.6 mg/g respectively but no changes in addict men groups were observed. Neutrophils and lymphocytes percentages decreased and eosinophils increased significantly (p<0.05) in all treated groups of rats compared to the control group. In the addicted men eosinophils and monocytes showed significantly (p<0.05) lower levels compared to the control group, but lymphocytes percentages were elevated in all addicted men compared to the control group with a significant (p<0.05) difference in the heavy addicted group. These findings showed that injection of C. sativa petroleum extract to the rats resulted in different effects in some parameters compared to those in addicted men smoked C. sativa for long periods. This was clear for the lymphocytes percentage which decreased significantly in the treated rats and showed significantly higher percentage in the addicted men when compared to their controls.