Does CBD cure COVID?
As science continues to reveal benefits of CBD, it’s important to understand what’s been proven and in good context.
The eruption of miracle cure articles and memes brought CBD x COVID-19 studies to the attention of many. But CBD consumers of all types have made their preferences clear - it’s all about the facts. So, here’s what 3 published studies found:
1. Canadian research showed CBD contributes to proactive immune response where the virus is present.
Akseera Pharma Corp, a Canadian company, led research surrounding CBD and COVD-19 in collaboration with top notch universities to study the potential of CBD as therapy.
Prof. Robin Duncan at the University of Waterloo spearheaded studies that have examined how the immune system responds when the virus is present, and the cellular response triggered to activate immune function. She has stated that in cells that have not been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 proteins, CBD primed the innate anti-viral system of cells, increasing readiness to respond to viral infection.
2. An OSU study showed that CBGA and CBDA can disrupt infection or disease progression.
Oregon State University published study results last month that showed hemp compounds prevent coronavirus from entering human cells. OSU invented their own chemical screening techniques and used them to find that a pair of cannabinoid acids bind to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, blocking a critical step in the process the virus uses to infect people.
The compounds are cannabigerolic acid, or CBGA, and cannabidiolic acid, CBDA, and the spike protein is the same drug target used in COVID-19 vaccines and antibody therapy. A drug target is any molecule critical to the process a disease follows, meaning its disruption can hinder infection or disease progression.
3. University of Chicago also suggests high-purity CBD may help block virus from replicating
What started as a test of anti-infammatory effects ended up showing a direct inhibitory effect of viral replication in lung cells. To be clear, CBD did not prevent the virus from entering unaffected cells. Instead, CBD was effective in preventing replication early in the infection cycle and six hours after the virus had already infected the cell.
