Effects of cannabidiol to circadian period, sleep, life span, close-proximity rhythm, egg reproduction and motor function in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, has been studied for its various health-promoting effects recently. This study investigates the effects of dietary CBD to the circadian clock of Drosophila melanogaster as a model animal and its many physiological effect to flies. We showed that CBD extended the period of locomotor activity in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting its influence on the circadian clock. Additionally, CBD improved sleep quality and extended lifespan under starvation conditions. The study also revealed enhanced rhythmicity in Close Proximity (CP) rhythm and increased eggs reproduction with dietary CBD supplementation. Furthermor, CBD attenuates age-related motor dysfunction in wild-type and Parkinson’s disease (PD) model in Drosophila. These findings strongly suggest that appropriate amount of CBD affects the circadian rhythms, sleep, life span, CP rhythm, egg reproduction and motor function of Drosophila melanogaster, and providing a basic data for exploring its potential applications in managing circadian-related disorders in other animals.