Can CBD offer protection against COVID-19? A recent study suggests it might
A recent study has suggested that CBD may offer some protection against COVID-19.
The study, which was led by Richard Van Breemen, a researcher with Oregon State’s Global Hemp Innovation Centre in the College of Pharmacy and Linus Pauling Institute, in collaboration with scientists at the Oregon Health & Science University, showed that CBD “appears to prime the innate immune system of cells, potentially offering protection against pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2.”
The researchers involved in the study discovered that CBD may increase our cell’s response to several of the key proteins that are thought to be produced by the coronavirus genome. It also reports that this effect hadn’t been discovered prior to the study.
According to the research presented, two cannabinoid acids that are commonly found in hemp derived CBD, can bind to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
By binding to the spike protein, the compounds may be able to help prevent the virus from entering cells and causing infection, potentially offering new avenues to prevent and treat the disease.
Van Breemen explained that CBDA and CBGA may block the action of emerging variants of the virus that causes Covid-19, saying:
“our research showed the hemp compounds were equally effective against variants of SARS-CoV-2, including variant B.1.1.7, which was first detected in the United Kingdom, and variant B.1.351, first detected in South Africa.”
Although further research is needed, Van Breemen has said that the study has shown the cannabinoids could be developed into drugs to prevent or treat Covid-19.
Read the full study here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35007072/
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