Study finds evidence THC might prevent rejection

Sep 1, 2015 20:20 GMT  ·  By

Organ transplants have the potential to save hundreds, if not thousands of lives. The problem is that, unless experts match patients and donors to ensure compatibility, there is always the risk of rejection. 

Besides, even if a patient receives an organ from a perfectly compatible donor, they nonetheless must be prescribed immunosuppressants to keep their body's immune system from attacking it.

Looking to get around this conundrum, a team of scientists with the University of South Carolina School of Medicine propose that medical marijuana could make organ transplants safer.

More precisely, the researchers say that, having experimented on laboratory mice, they found that THC, which is the active ingredient in marijuana, has the potential to delay the rejection of organs.

In a study in The Journal of Leukocyte Biology, the research team argues that THC would especially come in handy in cases when the donor and the patient are not a perfect match.

How the experiments played out

As part of their investigation, the scientists transplanted skin from one group of mice to other rodents genetically different to them. The animals included in the study all received incompatible grafts.

Then, some of the rodents were treated with a placebo and others with THC. Soon enough, the animals that received the placebo started showing signs of rejection.

The mice that were treated with THC, however, took longer to react badly to the skin grafts. The researchers believe that it was the marijuana ingredient that delayed the rejection of the grafts.

The research team says the THC helped delay rejection by suppressing the rodent's immune response to the foreign skin attached to their body, EurekAlert reports.

“We are excited to demonstrate for the first time that cannabinoid receptors play an important role in the prolongation of rejection of a foreign graft by suppressing immune response in the recipient,” said specialist Mitzi Nagarkatti in a statement.

Although further research is needed, the team argues that, as shown by their experiments on lab mice, medical marijuana might help prevent transplant rejection, maybe even pave the way for better treatments for various inflammatory diseases.