Cannabidiol inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication

 Cannabidiol inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication

    Researchers in the United States conducted research in March 2021 on the causes of acute respiratory disease in human lung cells.

SARS-CoV-2 is the agent responsible for the coronavirus pandemic that poses a threat to global public health and the world economy.

Dr. Marsha Rosner from the University of Chicago in Illinois and her colleagues found that cannabidiol (CBD) and its metabolite 7-OH-CBD is a potent antagonist and that during research it blocked the replication of SARS- CoV-2 in epithelial cells of the lung.

"CBD inhibited viral gene expression and reversed many of the effects the virus has on host gene expression."

Research published at the National Center for Biotechnology Information  confirms that SARS-CoV-2 severe acute respiratory syndrome is responsible for over three million deaths in the past year alone.  SARS  -CoV-2, related to severe acute respiratory syndrome, is the seventh coronavirus species known to infect people. These coronaviruses  cause a range of symptoms from the common cold to more serious conditions . Despite the recent availability of vaccines (over 9 billion doses administered globally), SARS-CoV-2 is still spreading rapidly , highlighting the need for alternative treatments, especially for populations with limited access to vaccines.   

To date, few therapies have been identified that block SARS-CoV-2 replication and viral production.

We know that it is a positive sense single-stranded RNA (+ ssRNA) enveloped virus composed of a lipid bilayer and four structural proteins that drive the formation of viral particles.

These proteins enable viral replication, assembly and budding.  In an effort to suppress infection with SARS-CoV-2 beta-coronavirus and other evolving pathogenic viruses, the researchers tested the antiviral potential of a number of small molecules that target the body's stress response pathways. .

A potential regulator of the stress of our organism and antiviral inflammatory responses has turned out to be precisely cannabidiol (CBD), CBD as we know is produced by  Cannabis sativa . Hemp refers to cannabis plants or materials derived from them that contain 0.5% or less of the psychotropic tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and typically have a relatively high CBD content. 

SEARCH RESULTS

"To test the effect of CBD on SARS-CoV-2 replication, we pretreated A549 human lung cancer cells expressing exogenous human ACE-2 receptor (A549-ACE2) for 2 hours with 0-10 μM of CBD before infection with SARS-CoV- 2. After 48 hours, we monitored cells for viral spike protein expression. For comparison, we also treated cells in a similar dose range with an MLK inhibitor (URMC-099) previously implicated as an antiviral for HIV and KPT-9274, a PAK4 / NAMPT inhibitor that our analysis suggested could reverse many changes in gene expression caused by SARS-CoV-2.  All three inhibitors potently inhibited replication viral in non-toxic conditions  CBD it also inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in monkey kidney epithelial cells . No toxicity was observed at effective doses. We also determined that CBD suppressed replication of a related beta-coronavirus, the mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), under non-toxic conditions. 

CBD is often consumed as part of a C. sativa extract, particularly in combination with psychoactive THC enriched in marijuana plants. We then determined whether congenital cannabinoids, particularly analogues with closely related structures and polarity produced by the hemp plant, are also capable of inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 infection. Surprisingly, only CBD was a potent agent, while limited or no antiviral activity was exhibited by the structurally closely related congeners that share biosynthesis pathways and form the bio-genetically determined residual complexity of CBD purified from C. sativa " 

You can find the full article at the following link:  National Center for Biotechnology Information