Cannabis Extract Causes Blood Pressure Drop in Healthy Mice

Cannabigerol is commonly used to treat chronic pain and inflammation

Long Beach, Calif. (April 21, 2023)—Cannabigerol, an extract found naturally in the cannabis plant, is an increasingly popular treatment (as over-the-counter CBG oil) for chronic pain and inflammation. However, repeated use of cannabigerol caused a drop in the blood pressure of healthy mice, according to a new study at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. Researchers will present their work this week at the American Physiology Summit, the flagship annual meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS), in Long Beach, California.

“Cannabigerol could be studied as a new way to treat high blood pressure.” —Victoria Vernail

Low blood pressure can be a dangerous side effect for people with normal blood pressure. Sudden blood pressure drops deprive the body of critical oxygen, resulting in damage to the brain, heart and other organs. In this study, researchers set out to investigate the effects of giving cannabigerol for 14 days with vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, locomotor activity) recorded for 24 hours each day. The results indicate a “small, but significant drop” in the blood pressure of healthy mice over a two-week period.

Cannabigerol in most strains of cannabis products is relatively low because it quickly converts to tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol. Select strains are specifically bred to produce higher levels of cannabigerol as a marketing tool.

“Our research suggests that cannabigerol could lower blood pressure, which could be dangerous for people with normal blood pressure,” said Victoria Vernail, lead author of the study and PhD candidate at Penn State. “On the other hand, cannabigerol could also be studied as a new way to treat high blood pressure.”

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: The American Physiology Summit will be held April 20–23, 2023, in Long Beach, California. To schedule an interview with the researchers, conference organizers or presenters, contact APS Media Relations or call 301.634.7314. Find more highlights from the meeting in our Summit Newsroom.

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.