Increasing research suggests that cannabis may be used to treat potentially fatal complications with COVID-19.
Researchers at the University of South Carolina conducted a trilogy of studies on mice that found that KNC – Chemicals that give marijuana its altering effect – can help prevent harmful immune inhibitions that cause Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).
ARDS is the most common complication for patients with severe cases of coronavirus. It can be fatal or lead to permanent pulmonary scarring.
U.S.C. The goal of the study was to determine whether THC It was to be seen whether ARDS develops by injecting toxins into the mice that stimulate the response can block the immune response.
In dozens of experiments in all three studies, all of the mice that were given THC after surviving the poisoning died when the chemical was not found.
The researchers warned that their work was still far from being determined and stressed that they did not encourage people to self-medicate for the use of marijuana for COVID-19.
However, they said that preliminary research demonstrated the THC’s abundant commitment to treating serious cases of the virus that have killed more than 209,000 people in the US and more than 10 million worldwide.
Research from the University of South Carolina suggests that THC – a cannabis chemical that produces a mind-altering effect – could be used to treat complications in Covid-19 patients.
Prakash Nagarkatty, who graduated from U.S.C. Co-authored the study, explaining the research in an interview with The State in August.
‘The underlying mechanism is that your immune system spreads and starts destroying your lungs and all your organs,’ Nagarkatti said of ARDS.
‘It’s like a car where you can apply a lot of accelerators, but the brakes aren’t working. Basically what is going to happen is your car is crashing because you can’t stop it. And the same is basically happening with ARDS. ‘
ARDS is a type of lung failure in which small blood vessels in the lungs begin to leak fluid, blocking air from the bloodstream.
It is known to strike in COVID-19 patients when their immune systems go into overdrive to fight the virus and start attacking healthy cells.
USC studies have found that THC, which means tetrahydrocannabinol, helps suppress the body’s immune response while increasing the number of healthy bacteria in the lungs.
These findings were so promising that researchers now want to launch human tests to further investigate the potential effectiveness of chemicals that fight coronaviruses.
But Nagarkatti insisted that his team’s research does not in any way advocate cannabis use in people if they think they have coronavirus.
“I just want to make sure that marijuana is good for Covid 19 because our research has not been interpreted,” Nagarkatti said.
‘If you start using THC early on, the effect may be worse because it will suppress the immune system.’
Meanwhile other studies have found evidence of the potential effectiveness of marijuana in treating the virus.
A study by Israeli researchers found that a specific terpine compound in cannabis could also be used to prevent cytokine storm syndrome, an inflammatory response that can lead to fever, fatigue, and onset in COVID-19 patients.
Preliminary results from the study, published in August, found that terpene was twice as effective as dexamethasone in suppressing cytokine storms than the usual corticosteroid therapy for inflammation.
And a second study published by Canadian researchers in June found that a specific strain of marijuana prevents the virus from entering the body in the first place.
‘Like other respiratory pathogens, SARS-CoV2 is transmitted by respiratory drops, with the potential for aerosol and contact spread. It utilizes receptor-mediated penetration into the human host through the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) in lung tissue, as well as in the oral and nasal mucosa, kidneys, testicles and gastrointestinal tract, ‘the study said.
‘Changes in ACE 2 levels in these entrance tissues could prove a sensible strategy to reduce disease susceptibility.’
The researchers said their cannabis strain targets those ACE2 receptors, potentially preventing the virus from getting into the body.
While each of the above studies is still in its infancy today, together they paint a promising picture of the role of marijuana in the fight against the global epidemic.
.
