The assessment of in vitro cardiotoxic potentials for synthetic cannabinoid, AM-2201

Abstract

Synthetic cannabinoid abuse has become more common in recent years, although knowledge about the risk of the relativelynew synthetic cannabinoid molecules is not adequate. Data is limited and analytical methods and case reports related to theclinical effects of this substance are recent and new. The studies are generally related to the cardiac effects of first definedmolecules rather than every molecule in the group. The cardiac clinical effects of synthetic cannabinoid abuse and its underlying mechanisms are not certain. In this regard, this study aims to investigate AM-2201, one of synthetic cannabinoids,because knowledge related to AM-2201 is less than the others in this group. The cardiotoxicity and underlying mechanisms ofAM-2201 were assessed on cardiac cell culture. The half-maximal inhibition concentration (IC50) values were 101.49 and 63.33µM by WST-1 and LDH assays. AM-2201 did not induced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Correlatively, no changewas observed in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels. As to the measurements, Annexin V-FITC and acridine orange dye,AM-2201 did not induce apoptosis and the primary cell death was necrosis. According to our results, further studies such asmechanism on cell death and cancer pathways should be investigated.