Dose‐Dependent Cannabidiol‐Induced Elevation of Intracellular Calcium and Apoptosis in Human Articular Chondrocytes

Abstract Cannabidiol (CBD) is the most abundant non‐psychoactive compound of Cannabis sativa extracts. Cannabinoids have been shown to exhibit anti‐inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, neuroprotective, and anti‐tumorigenic effects. In the present study, we investigated the effects of CBD on human articular chondrocytes. Cell viability was determined by Resazurin assays. Apoptosis was analyzed by annexin‐V/7‐actinomycin D (7‐AAD) staining followed by flow cytometry. Caspase 3/7 activity was measured with caspase assays. Intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) was monitored by time‐lapse fluorescence imaging. The perforated whole‐cell patch‐clamp