Journal article
Cannabinoids rescue migraine symptoms caused by central CGRP administration in mice
Cephalalgia, Vol.45(11), pp.1-16
11/2025
DOI: 10.1177/03331024251392103
PMCID: PMC12811959
PMID: 41182862
Abstract
BackgroundThis study investigates the therapeutic potential of a combined dose of cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) at a 100:1 ratio (100 mg/kg CBD and 1 mg/kg THC) in mitigating central calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-induced migraine symptoms in a mouse model.MethodsThe 100:1 ratio of CBD to THC was administered intraperitoneally, 60 minutes prior to starting all the assays, followed by intracerebroventricular CGRP administration, 30 minutes later, with behavior assays conducted 30 minutes after CGRP injection. To determine whether pretreatment of CBD:THC could counteract CGRP-induced light aversion, we utilized the light/dark assay, which also recorded motility behavior. To investigate whether CBD:THC pretreatment could alleviate CGRP-induced spontaneous pain, we used the automated squint assay.ResultsOur findings show that pretreatment with 100:1 CBD:THC rescued light aversion caused by centrally administered CGRP in CD1 mice. Additionally, CBD:THC pretreatment rescued the increased resting time in darkness, decreased transitions between light and dark zones, and partially rescued the decreased rearing behavior induced by centrally administered CGRP. Moreover, an open field assay confirmed that centrally administered CGRP did not induce anxiety in a light independent assay. Finally, our findings from the automated squint assay indicate that pretreatment with 100:1 CBD:THC partially rescued centrally administered CGRP-induced spontaneous pain.ConclusionsCollectively, these results demonstrate that a combination of CBD and THC can alleviate light aversion and pain symptoms induced by a centrally-acting migraine trigger.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Cannabinoids rescue migraine symptoms caused by central CGRP administration in mice
- Creators
- Erik Zorrilla - University of IowaThomas L Duong - University of IowaCassandra L Piña - Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USAAndrew F Russo - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Cephalalgia, Vol.45(11), pp.1-16
- DOI
- 10.1177/03331024251392103
- PMID
- 41182862
- PMCID
- PMC12811959
- NLM abbreviation
- Cephalalgia
- ISSN
- 0333-1024
- eISSN
- 1468-2982
- Publisher
- SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
- Grant note
- National Institutes of Health: R01NS075599
This work was supported by a research grant from the National Institutes of Health R01NS075599 (AFR).
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/2025
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Craniofacial Anomalies Research Center
- Record Identifier
- 9985024254802771
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