The impact of cannabis smoke on the performance of pulmonary surfactant under physiologically relevant conditions

The principal site for gaseous exchange within the lung is the alveolar space, which is bathed in alipid‐protein blend called pulmonary surfactant. This material is the initial contacting site for orallyinhaled products and environmental toxins. Using the lung biosimulator, this study investigatesthe influence of cannabis smoke on the activity of the lung surfactant replacement product,Curosurf. Initially, 50‐mg cannabis material was pyrolysed and the smoke collected. Cannabissmoke profiling was conducted via gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy, with a mean con-centration of 1% Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol determined. The smoke aliquots were transferred tothe lung biosimulator and expansion—contraction cycles were then initiated to mimic tidalbreathing. Baseline data confirmed that Curosurf works effectively under physiologically relevantconditions. Exposure to cannabis smoke from 2 independent batches reduced the Langmuir max-imum surface pressure values by approximately 20% and increased the compressibility term;interbatch variation was detected. Cannabis smoke impaired the ability of Curosurf to lowerthe surface tension term. This was ascribed to the penetration of the planar, hydrophobic druginto the two‐dimensional film, and destructive interaction with polar functionalities. The neteffect would be increased work of breathing for the individual.