Promising Research Shows that Some Cannabis Strains May Help Protect Against Covid-19
Phillip Schneider, Staff Writer
Waking Times
Certain cannabis strains may have the potential to protect the body against Covid-19 infection, as revealed by researchers at the University of Lethbridge earlier this month.
After studying over 400 marijuana strains, the Canadian researchers found around a dozen of which show promise in protecting users from becoming infected with the coronavirus, a discovery which will surely cause cannabis users to rejoice.
The treatment works by limiting the number of virus receptors in which Covid-19 attaches to, such as those in the lungs, intestines, and mouth. “If they can reduce the number of receptors, there’s much less chance of getting infected,” said lead researcher Dr. Igor Kovalchuk.
“[As] a number of them have reduced the number of these (virus) receptors by 73 per cent, the chance of it getting in is much lower.” – Dr. Kovalchuk, Biological Scientist
Scientists still have not found a proper balance between tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) content when used for this purpose, but they generally favor CBD, in part because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
“It will take a long time to find what the active ingredient is — there may be many … [but] we focus more on the higher CBD because people can take higher doses and not be impaired.” – Dr. Kovalchuk
Cannabis-based products may soon be used in conjunction with other promising therapies like Intravenous Vitamin C and Hydroxychloroquine for treating and preventing coronavirus.
Referring to cannabis, Kovalchuk states, “it would be cheaper for people and have a lot less side-effects,” says Kovalchuk, but there haven’t yet been any clinical trials, only research into the effect of cannabis compounds on ‘artificial human 3D tissue models,’ which sets up a significant hurdle for the research.
However, scientists in Israel have also started clinical trials to research the potential impact that CBD has in repairing Covid-19 damaged cells. “Our work could have a huge influence — there aren’t many drugs that have the potential of reducing infection by 70 to 80 per cent,” said Dr. Kovalchuk.
“Researchers were able to identify 13 CBD extracts that are able to change ACE2 levels, an enzyme previously linked to COVID-19 infection. The data also suggested that some strains were also able to control serine protease TMPRSS2, which is another protein necessary for COVID-19 to enter host cells and spread throughout the body.” ~The Source
Considering the current global situation of authoritarian lockdowns and uncertainty surrounding a potential vaccine, it is imperative that we look at alternative treatments and preventative measures to the virus that don’t cause dangerous side effects, or result in the loss of liberty.
If their research is successful, it could lead to a cheap and effective therapy for the novel virus in the form of cannabis gel caps, sprays, and mouth wash. According to Kovalchuk, “the extracts of our most successful and novel high CBD C sativa lines, pending further investigation, may become a useful and safe addition to the treatment of COVID-19 as an adjunct therapy.”
About the Author
Phillip Schneider is a student as well as a staff writer and assistant editor for Waking Times. If you would like to see more of his work, you can visit his website, or follow him on the free speech social network Minds.
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