Study Shows Combination of CBD and Terpenes Can Fight COVID-19, But Where Does That Leave THC?
Study shows CBD and Terpenes combination can fight COVID-19, but where does that leave THC?
With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to rage around the world, many are left wondering what, if any, is cannabis’ role in ameliorating the spread or possibly treating patients affected by the virus? Cannabis’ therapeutic benefits have been extolled for centuries, and especially in the last decade, but can it also be used to treat this increasingly rampant virus?
Last month, Israeli researchers from firms Eybna and CannaSoul Analytics conducted a study that suggested combining CBD and terpenes was three times more effective at preventing cytokine activity than corticosteroid dexamethasone. Cytokines are small secreted proteins that are released by cells and effect the interactions and communications between cells.
Cytokine storm, also known as hypercytokinemia, is a physiological reaction in which the immune system causes an excessive release of cytokines. It is one of the symptoms of COVID-19 and is known to cause inflammation, swelling, loss of organ function, pain.
Studies done by Israeli firms Eybna and CannaSoul Analytics suggest that a combination of CBD and terpenes could be effective against deadly cytokine storms caused by COVID-19.
Researchers did the study on Eybna’s NT-VRL, a proprietary terpene formulation which targets inflammatory conditions, including the cytokine storm syndrome experienced by COVID-19 patients. NT-VRL contains 30 individual terpenes and is consumed by direct inhalation.
The researchers also did tests on CBD and Dexamethasone, which was found in a recent UK study to reduce mortality by one-third in COVID-19 patients on ventilators.
According to researchers, the CBD treatment alone inhibited an average of 75 percent of cytokines, while terpenes alone inhibited around 80 percent. Meanwhile, NT-VRL inhibited around 90 percent of cytokines and Dexamethasone inhibited roughly 30 percent.
The two firms called the preliminary results ‘highly positive,’ and said that the compound demonstrates the significant anti-inflammatory benefits of terpenes.
Nadav Eyal, Eybna co-founder and CEO, said that the findings break the belief that terpenes are just “flavorings and fragrances compounds with a placebo effect.”
While terpenes are responsible for cannabis’ (and other plants’) flavor and aroma, many terpenes are highly beneficial and contain anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, some terpenes are known to have potent analgesic properties that are comparable or even exceed those of aspirin and other common NSAIDs.
However, although CBD and terpenes have been found to be beneficial in treating COVID-19, many are left wondering how does THC, another highly potent compound found in cannabis, fit in to all of this?
That question was answered recently, with a new study on THC’s effects on people with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
The study, which was published in Frontiers in Pharmacology, suggests that THC could be helpful in preventing the occurrence of life-threatening illnesses related to the coronavirus.
According to the study, researchers from the University of South Carolina say that THC has the ability to reduce a specific type of rapidly progressing disease that causes pulmonary inflammation known as ARDS or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Symptoms of ARDS include shortness of breath, gasping for air, and blue discoloration of skin.
Every year, ARDS affects roughly 3 million people worldwide, with cases expected to spike this year due to COVID-19. ARDS is commonly caused by sepsis, a serious and widespread infection of the bloodstream.
ARDS causes fluid to leak into the lungs’ tiny air sacs, which are called alveoli, thus preventing the organs from filling with air and lowering the amount of oxygen that gets into the bloodstream and the body’s organs.
This rapidly progressive disease typically affects patients who have already been hospitalized for other serious health issues and can be fatal for many sufferers, with heightened risk to elderly patients and those with other severe illnesses or injuries. According to statistics, those who do survive ARDS end up suffering permanent pulmonary damage.
In the study, researchers administered THC to mice suffering Staphylococccus aureus infection-induced ARDS, which normally results death. In 100 precent of cases, the THC halted pulmonary inflammation by slowing down the release of cytokine proteins, resulting in the survival of every mouse that received the cannabinoid.
The researchers wrote, “It is of interest to note that a significant proportion of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients come down with sepsis and ARDS accompanied by cytokine storm. Because currently there is no effective treatment against ARDS, a significant percentage of such COVID-19 patients die from severe damage to the lungs and other organs, caused by cytokine storm.”
With these studies into CBD, terpenes, and now THC, we’re able to get a better understanding of how cannabis can be used in treating COVID-19. These studies demonstrate its potential and hold a lot of promise for the development of future treatments. As of now, more peer-reviewed studies still need to conducted in order to fully grasp the extent of its benefits.