Chronic UV radiation causes oxidative stress and inflammation of skin and blood cells. Therefore, in this study, we assessed the effects of cannabidiol (CBD), a natural phytocannabinoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, on the phospholipid (PL) and ceramide (CER) profiles in the plasma of nude rats irradiated with UVA/UVB and treated topically with CBD. The results obtained showed that UVA/UVB radiation increased the levels of phosphatidylcholines, lysophospholipids, and eicosanoids (PGE2, TxB2), while downregulation of sphingomyelins led to an increase in CER[NS] and CER[NDS]. Topical application of CBD to the skin of control rats significantly upregulated plasma ether-linked phosphatidylethanolamines (PEo) and ceramides. However, CBD administered to rats irradiated with UVA/UVB promoted further upregulation of CER and PEo and led to significant downregulation of lysophospholipids. This was accompanied by the anti-inflammatory effect of CBD, manifested by a reduction in the levels of proinflammatory PGE2 and TxB2 and a dramatic increase in the level of anti-inflammatory LPXA4. It can therefore be suggested that topical application of CBD to the skin of rats exposed to UVA/UVB radiation prevents changes in plasma phospholipid profile resulting in a reduction of inflammation by reducing the level of LPE and LPC species and increasing antioxidant capacity due to upregulation of PEo species.
Keywords: UV irradiation; cannabidiol; ceramides; eicosanoids; lipidomics; phospholipids; plasma; rats.