A study has shown that some cannabis varieties are able to block the proteins that allow the coronavirus to enter human cells
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousA pre-publication study, and therefore to be taken with due caution, believes that cannabis can help in the prevention but also in the treatment of coronavirus.
Researchers from the University of Lethbridge (Canada) in their study they would have shown that at least 13 cannabis plants are able to influence the pathways that the virus uses to access the cells of our body. Not therefore any kind of cannabis but only few varieties, those richest in anti-inflammatory CBD and low in THC (it is essentially the so-called medical cannabis).
The study results, published in the online journal Preprints, indicate that CBD-rich hemp extracts can help block the proteins that provide a "gateway", which is the passage that allows the virus to enter the host cells.
The research was carried out on 3D models of human tissues on which, after using extracts of some types of cannabis, the scientists were able to highlight a decrease in the levels of the Ace2 and Tmprss2 proteins, those that Sars-Cov-2 uses precisely to enter the cells.
Emphasizing the need for further research, the study sparked the hope that, if confirmed the findings, the use of cannabis "could prove to be a plausible strategy to reduce susceptibility to the disease" and "become a useful and safe addition to the treatment of COVID-19 as a support".
Cannabis could also be used to "develop easy-to-use preventative treatments in the form of gargle and mouthwash products," the study suggests, with "potential to reduce viral entry" through the mouth.
“At first we were amazed, and then we were really happy,” one of the researchers, Olga Kovalchuk, told CTV News.
Kovalchuk's husband, Igor, also a researcher involved in the study, is convinced that cannabis could reduce virus entry points by up to 70% and consequently give people more chances to fight it.
"Our work could have a huge influence, there aren't many drugs that have the potential to reduce infections by 70 to 80 percent," he told the Calgary Herald.
Lo study, which has yet to be peer reviewed, was conducted in collaboration with Pathway Rx, a cannabis therapy research company, and Swysh Inc, a cannabinoid-based research company.
Researchers are now seeking new funding to continue their efforts in support of scientific initiatives to tackle COVID-19.
Meantime it is obviously premature to think of a real clinical application of cannabinoids against the new coronavirus, at least before further studies confirm its efficacy and safety.
Sources of reference: CTV News / Calgary Herald / Preprints
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