Protective effects of hemp ( Cannabis sativa L.) seed cake on inflammatory responses in lipopolysaccharide-induced mice

This study investigated the protective effects of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seed cake extract (CSE) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced systemic inflammation in mice.Mice were divided into six groups, such as control, LPS, low-, medium-, and high-dose CSE-administered group, and a dexamethasone-treated group as a positive control.The CSE was orally administered for 17 days, and LPS at 1 mg/kg/day was intraperitoneally injected for 10 days.Treatment with LPS significantly increased serum inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, and oxidative stress-related biomarkers, including hepatic lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, and reactive oxygen species.The CSE-administered groups reduced inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress-related markers compared with the LPS group.In addition, administration of CSE attenuated histological liver damage by inhibition of inflammatory infiltration and tissue disruption compared with LPS group in H&E staining.The LPS-treated mice activated toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling pathway, whereas CSE-administered mice suppressed this pathway-related proteins in the liver tissue.These results indicated that CSE attenuates LPS-induced inflammation by inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB activation, supporting its potential as a functional anti-inflammatory ingredient.