Effect of Increasing Concentrations of Cannabidiol (CBD) on Hatching, Survival and Development of Artemia salina

Cannabidiol (CBD) has gained widespread popularity for treatment of a variety of medical conditions in humans. It is readily available from multiple sources without a prescription. Previous studies have documented that the endocannabinoid system, through which cannabidiol exerts its effect on the cellular level, is present in many vertebrates and invertebrates and plays an important role in neural maturation, differentiation, and survival. CBD exposure has the potential to adversely affect the development of the body and brain. We hypothesized that exposure to CBD would have a negative impact on hatching, development and survival in a model organism that develops rapidly, brine shrimp (Artemia salina). To investigate this hypothesis, A. salina eggs were incubated in five solutions with increasing concentration of CBD. The hatching rate, survival, and development were compared with a control group. Our results indicate that CBD at low concentrations (36.25 ng/ml) enhanced survival and accelerated the development of A. salina, while at higher concentrations it decreased survival and slowed development. These findings are relevant to human health in that the typical oral dose of CBD prescribed for anxiety and other conditions results in blood concentrations levels close to the high concentration solutions used in this experiment.