Effects of Cannabidiol (CBD) on the Activation of Autophagy and Inflammation Genes, Functional Consequences in Virologically Controlled HIV-infected Patients

Autophagy and apoptosis are natural cellular mechanisms which consist for the first in a recycling and elimination process of potentially toxic cellular waste, and for the second in a process of cellular suicide when it becomes abnormal and "not" repairable, notably by autophagy. A deficit in autophagic function at the cellular level can lead to chronic inflammation and accelerated cellular senescence. Apoptosis is a beneficial phenomenon because it eliminates abnormal cells that could endanger the organism if it survives (e.g. karyotypic atypia). Uncontrolled, it can be deleterious if apoptosis is hypo or hyperactive.