Does marijuana protect against the coronavirus?

247 com DW - In the search for a vaccine or medication against the new coronavirus, scientists are pursuing both traditional and less orthodox approaches.

They have already worked with existing candidates, such as Remdesivir, originally developed for the treatment of Ebola. In Germany, the first clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine are underway, using a product created for cancer immunology. A French study indicates that nicotine – the alkaloid inhaled during the often lethal distraction of smoking – may protect against the new virus.

And now, information is emerging from Canada that certain active ingredients in marijuana may also have an effect similar to nicotine, increasing the protection of cells against the coronavirus. However, the study has not yet been submitted for independent review by other researchers.peer review), which constitutes a kind of seal of quality in scientific circles.

According to Igor Kovalchuck, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Lethbridge, who revealed this to DW, the results relating to COVID-19 originate from research on arthritis, Crohn's disease, cancer, and other illnesses. In an article on the Preprints.org website, he and his team suggest that some chemical components of a specially developed variety of cannabis would reduce the virus's ability to reach lung cells, where it settles, reproduces, and spreads.

To infect a human host cell, SARS-CoV-2 needs a receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is found in lung tissue, oral and nasal mucosa, kidneys, testicles, and the digestive tract. Without this enzyme, the pathogen cannot penetrate.

Kovalchuck's theory is that cannabinoids would modify ACE2 levels in these "gateways," making the human host less vulnerable to the virus and essentially reducing the risk of infection.

Several doctors recommend medicinal cannabis for the treatment of conditions ranging from nausea to dementia. However, it is different from the herb used as a recreational drug, which is characterized by its high concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), its main psychoactive principle.

In contrast, the Canadian researchers focused on strains of the species. Cannabis sativa with a high content of cannabidiol (CBD), an anti-inflammatory cannabinoid. They cultivated more than 800 of these marijuana variants, identifying 13 extracts that would be able to modulate ACE2 levels.

"Our strains have a high CBD content or a balanced CBD/THC ratio, so a higher dose can be administered without patients being affected by the psychoactive properties of THC," explains Kovalchuck.

He runs the firm Inplanta together with Darryl Hudson, a graduate of the University of Guelph in Ontario, where they also research the use of cannabinoids in medicine. However, "it is still difficult" to obtain funding for this type of research, Kovalchuck comments, and not only in Canada.

According to scientists in the United Kingdom, both public opinion and politicians have a misguided view of medicinal cannabis. Furthermore, doctors fear that citizens will become dependent or attempt to self-medicate, using any variety of the herb they have available.

"Given the sociopolitical volatility of medicinal cannabis use, researchers have to be especially careful about disseminating their results," warns Chris Albertyn, director of research at King's College London and an expert on cannabinoids and dementia.

It is certain that without sufficient funding and in-depth research, the necessary knowledge about cannabinoids will not be achieved, warns Kovalchuck. But "at least now there is widespread interest," and he is sure that a change in attitude is occurring.

While acknowledging that even their most potent cannabis extracts require comprehensive scientific validation, Kovalchuck and his co-authors assert that cannabidiol can be a "safe adjunct" in the treatment of COVID-19 – alongside other methods, the scientists emphasize.

Thus, until a conclusive evaluation is made, medicinal marijuana may develop as an "easy-to-apply preventive treatment," analogous, for example, to mouthwashes in clinical or home use.