MADRID, SPAIN – JUNE 20: A piece of marijuana bud is seen on June 20, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. Focus … [+]
Two Canadian researchers think that a special variety of cannabis could be a valuable tool in the fight against COVID-19.
The researchers, Olga and Igor Kovalchuck, have reportedly been developing and testing a new strain of cannabis for years, except with the goal of creating a strain that helps fight cancer and inflammation. When the pandemic hit, the duo began to focus their efforts on how the strain could be used to help fight COVID-19.
The duo’s work was published in an April issue of the online medical journal Preprints.
“Like other respiratory pathogens, SARS-CoV2 is transmitted through respiratory droplets, with the potential for aerosol and spread by contact. It uses receptor-mediated entry into the human host through the angiotensin II converting enzyme (ACE2) that is expressed in lung tissue, as well as in the oral and nasal mucosa, kidneys, testes, and the gastrointestinal tract. ” , reads in the studio. “Modulating ACE2 levels in these input tissues may prove to be a plausible strategy to decrease disease susceptibility.”
After looking at research by other scientists on cannabis and COVID, they were able to determine that cannabis, a particular special strain, could block COVID-19 from entering a person’s body.
It all boils down to our body’s ACE2 receptors, which function as gateways to our bodies for the virus. In the case of Kovalchuck’s work, cannabis would be used to decrease the level of expression of the ACE2 gene, essentially temporarily closing doors to the virus.
Beyond that, it is also possible that the strain can be used to prevent the virus from spreading once it has already entered someone’s system.
“Cannabis sativa, especially one rich in anti-inflammatory cannabinoid cannabinoids (CBD), has been proposed to modulate gene expression and inflammation and harbor anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties,” the study says. “Working under the Health Canada research license, we have developed more than 800 new Cannabis sativa lines and extracts and hypothesized that C. sativa extracts with high CBD content can be used to modulate ACE2 expression in COVID-19 “target tissues.
Right now it is still a theory rather than a confirmed fact; However, it does offer some hope for the future. If they can test the idea, the next step would be to manufacture the successful strain into medical formations that could be used for prevention and treatment in the medical field. I mean, you’re probably not going to buy a random joint at your local dispensary to prevent the virus.
The couple is also quick to point out that, like his discharge, not all cannabis varieties will impact him in the same way. While they may be able to find a strain that can help prevent or treat COVID-19, there are also strains that could make it worse. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.
“While our most effective extracts require further validation on a large scale, our study is crucial for future analysis of the effects of medicinal cannabis on COVID-19. Extracts from our most successful and novel CBD-rich C. sativa lines, pending further investigation, may become a useful and safe addition to COVID-19 treatment as complementary therapy, ”the study says. “They can be used to develop easy-to-use preventive treatments in the form of mouthwash and throat gargles for clinical and home use. Such products must be tested for their potential to decrease viral entry through the oral mucosa. Given the current and rapidly evolving serious epidemiological situation, all possible therapeutic opportunities and routes should be considered. ”
