The use of cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive component of cannabis, to assist patients with Covid-19 is gaining traction around the world. Studies are showing possible benefit from CBD in reducing the potential fatal inflammation associated with late-stage cases of Covid-19.
Does CBD Treat Covid-19?
Professor Rudolf Likar, an anaesthesiologist working in an intensive care unit in Klagenfurt, Austria, reported his studies early results to the European media. According to Likar, Covid-positive patients were given a 200mg serum of CBD, which was later increased to 300mg.
“We have seen that the inflammation parameters in the blood decrease and that people leave the hospital faster than the comparison group,” said Professor Likar told a local newspaper.
The Austrian observations follow a Canadian study published in January this year. There, researchers found CBD produced in vitro inhibition of cytokines. These compounds are responsible for the so-called “cytokine storm,” that is, the overproduction pro-inflammatory of cytokines in cases of acute respiratory distress that often leads to death.
Thus, they speculated that CBD could assist patients with severe cases of Covid-19. Other laboratory researchers have come to the same conclusion.
Positive negative interaction between cannabis and low-level Covid infection
These potential benefits of CBD are premised on the overactive immune response characteristic of late-stage, severe Covid cases. In the early stage of infection, inflammatory cytokines play a key role in immune response; you do not want them to be suppressed!
CBD has demonstrated inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 in one study, but the exact interaction with the virus is unclear. Stero Biotechs, a company heavily invested in researching CBD, cautions against using CBD for a low-level SARS-CoV-2 infection.
In fact, the most unequivocally positive finding about CBD comes from a study on its use in health workers. Public health workers are of course facing intense strain in dealing with borderline overwhelmed health systems worldwide. One study gave nurses 300mg of CBD daily for 28 days. At the end, they found “significant” reduction in scores on “emotional exhaustion and burnout” questionnaires.
Free CBD oil for burnt out health workers: there’s a cause we can all get behind.
Follow Christian on Twitter for more news updates.