Researchers from Oregon State University announced that certain compounds with cannabis are able to block the virus responsible for COVID-19 from penetrating human cells.
The study, led by Richard van Breemen of Oregon State’s Global Hemp Innovation Center, College of Pharmacy, and Linus Pauling Institute, was published Monday in the Journal of Natural Products.
A pair of cannabinoid acids were found to bond with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and block a vital part of the process that allows the virus to infect people, van Breemen said.
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“We identified several cannabinoid ligands and ranked them by affinity to the spike protein,” van Breemen said. “The two cannabinoids with the highest affinities for the spike protein were CBDA and CGBA, and they were confirmed to block infection.”
These compounds are cannabigerolic acid and cannabidiolic acid, according to the study.
“These cannabinoid acids are abundant in hemp and in many hemp extracts,” van Breemen said. “They are not controlled substances like THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, and have a good safety profile in humans. And our research showed the hemp compounds were equally effective against variants of SARS-CoV-2, including variant B.1.1.7, which was first detected in the United Kingdom, and variant B.1.351, first detected in South Africa.”
The B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 strains are referred to as the alpha and beta variants, respectively.
The spike protein from the study is the same drug target utilized in antibody therapy and the coronavirus vaccines, according to a report.
“One of the primary concerns in the pandemic is the spread of variants, of which there are many, and B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 are among the most widespread and concerning,” van Breemen added. “These variants are well known for evading antibodies against early lineage SARS-CoV-2, which is obviously concerning given that current vaccination strategies rely on the early lineage spike protein as an antigen. Our data show CBDA and CBGA are effective against the two variants we looked at, and we hope that trend will extend to other existing and future variants.”
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Resistant variants of COVID-19 may still arise. However, a combination of vaccines and the acids found in cannabis can mount a significant challenge for SARS-CoV-2, according to Van Breemen.
