In rats, CBD with temozolomide eased depression-like behavior in males only
Original title: Antidepressant-like effects of cannabidiol when combined with temozolomide in adult rats.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was done in animals, not people. Most findings at this stage never become treatments.
This was only done in rats, and they did not have brain tumors.
The short version
A study in rats looked at whether cannabidiol, also called CBD, could help with depression during temozolomide treatment.
What was studied. Researchers gave adult male and female rats temozolomide, cannabidiol, or fluoxetine, alone and in combinations. Fluoxetine is a standard antidepressant. The rats were then scored on a swim test used to measure depression-like behavior.
What they found. All of the drugs led to antidepressant-like responses in the rats. How well they worked depended on the sex of the rat and the dose. Adding fluoxetine to temozolomide was no better than either drug on its own. Cannabidiol with temozolomide showed an antidepressant-like response only in the male rats.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Depression is common in people with glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary, and current antidepressants often do not help much. This work suggests cannabidiol may be worth studying as an option for people already taking temozolomide. It is an early signal, not a result you can act on yet.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean CBD treats depression in people. The study was done in rats, not in humans. The rats did not even have glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary. The authors say the idea still needs to be tested in animals with glioblastoma before anything else. It also did not work in the female rats. This is not a cure, and it is not a reason to start or change any medicine. Talk to your care team before taking CBD, since it can interact with other drugs.
Source: PubMed, June 29, 2026 · Read the original
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