Research Links Cannabis to Lower Risk of COVID-19 Infection

Rabat – Researchers at American Oregon State University have established a link between a compound found in cannabis and lower chances of COVID-19 infection.

The study, published this week on the ACS Publications research platform, concludes that cannabis includes two agents -Cannabigerolic acid and Cannabidiolic acid- blocked the entry of a pseudovirus with the same protein structure as SARS-COV-2 to human cells. Thus, the two agents proved effective in preventing infection.

Findings of the study further indicate that the two cannabinoid agents, when extracted, can help not only in preventing infection but also in treating the infection.

Researchers at the University of Illinois in Chicago consolidated these findings through a series of human trials. Patients who were previously taking a compound extracted from the cannabis plant cannabidiol (CBD) had significantly lower chances of contracting the COVID-19 virus.

The study, published in the US National Library of Medicine, suggests that the cannabis compound can be effective in treating COVID-19 infections at an early stage as it inhibits the multiplication and spread of the virus in lung cells.

Another study published in Aging, a medical journal, suggests that the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis agents can significantly reduce the risk of lung fibrosis, a severe lung disease, and the leading cause behind COVID-19 related deaths.

The therapeutic properties of cannabis have been extensively studied prior to the spread of COVID-19. Agents extracted from the cannabis plant are effective for pain relief, tuning down anxiety, and reducing inflammation.

Most research related to cannabis therapeutic agents uses oil extracts. Other methods involve nasal sprays, vaping, and ingestion. These mechanisms are developed to avoid the harmful substances resulting from smoking the plant.