A new scientific study offers hope for cannabis against the coronavirus.
A team of scientists from Canada has identified at least 13 strains of Cannabis sativa that may help in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. The scientists were able to experimentally demonstrate that the cultivated cannabis strains make it difficult for the SARS-CoV2 coronavirus to attach to tissue cells, thus preventing COVID-19 disease.
The positive effects of cannabis in the fight against viral diseases have been known for some time. Previous research conducted since the SARS virus outbreak in 2002 has shown that specific cannabis terpenes are effective antiviral substances.
The results are being hotly debated in the discussion forum for the Canadian publication, which has been available online for about a month. A comment from the study's lead researcher, Professor Igor Kovalchuk, is interesting. He responds to a critical comment: "We never claimed that CBD is responsible for the reduction in ACE2 protein, as we simply don't know. What you're right about is that the effect is likely not due to CBD alone, and yes, future research will include more approaches with a broader spectrum of cannabinoids."*
With this, Professor Kovalchuk underscores, on the one hand, how little research still knows about the effects of cannabis. Yes, it works: but how and why still needs to be researched. On the other hand, Kovalchuk emphasizes the importance of the entourage effect. This states that a mixture of plant substances has greater biological activity than the isolated pure substance itself. It is not CBD alone that is responsible for the positive effects of hemp. Rather, it is the complex interplay of the plant's own active ingredients: CBD, THC, terpenes, and flavonoids.
So, does cannabis help against COVID-19? There's much evidence to suggest this is the case. However, research has yet to reveal which substances in the cannabis plant are responsible for this.
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* Original comment by Igor Kovalchuk, May 25, 2020: «Thank you for your comments Amanda, I appreciate you took time to read the paper. Few things to get straight. We have never stated that CBD is being responsible for decreasing ACE2 protein, as we simply don't know it. What you are right about is that the effect is likely not due to CBD alone and yes, future research will include more lines, with broader spectrum of cannabinoids.»
Link to the study: “In Search of Preventative Strategies: Novel Anti-Inflammatory High-CBD Cannabis Sativa Extracts Modulate ACE2 Expression in COVID-19 Gateway Tissues”
