Researchers Are Looking At Cannabis As A Potential Way To Prevent COVID-19

MADRID, SPAIN – JUNE 20: A piece of marijuana’s bud is seen on June 20, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. Zoom Club is a Cannabis Association in Madrid made up of 500 members. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic the facility was closed from March 15, 2020. After this period, with Madrid moving forward to phase 2, they reopened its facilities with sanitary security measures. Due to these measures, the maximum capacity has been reduced from 60 to 8 people. The members must observe sanitary rules while using the facilities, such as, wearing a mask while they are in the club, that can be taken off while smoking. Shoes soles must be sanitized, and hands cleaned with hydroalcoholic gel upon entering. Members must keep 2 meters distance from each other and can only stay indoors for a maximum of 20 minutes. They cannot use the toilets and must be placed around the dispensary without being able to use the rest of the common areas. Metraquilate screens have been placed on the counters to protect workers who are also equipped with gloves and masks to serve members. (Photo by Alberto Ortega/Getty Images) GETTY IMAGES

Two Canadian researchers think that a special strain of cannabis might potentially be a valuable tool in the fight against COVID-19.

The researchers, Olga and Igor Kovalchuck have reportedly been developing and testing a novel cannabis strain for years, except with the goal of creating a strain that helps to combat cancer and inflammation. When the pandemic hit, the duo started to focus their efforts on how the strain might be used to help fight COVID-19.

The duo’s work was published in an April issue of the online medical journal Preprints.

“Similar to other respiratory pathogens, SARS-CoV2 is transmitted through respiratory droplets, with potential for aerosol and contact spread. It uses receptor-mediated entry into the human host via angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) that is expressed in lung tissue, as well as oral and nasal mucosa, kidney, testes, and the gastrointestinal tract,” reads the study. “Modulation of ACE2 levels in these gateway tissues may prove a plausible strategy for decreasing disease susceptibility.”

After looking at the research done on cannabis and COVID by other scientists, they were able to determine that cannabis, a special strain in particular, could potentially block COVID-19 from entering a person’s body to begin with.

It all comes down to our body’s ACE2 receptors, which works sort of like doorways into our bodies for the virus. In the case of the Kovalchuck’s work, cannabis would be used to decrease the level of ACE2 gene expression, essentially temporarily closing the doors to the virus.

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Published: June 28, 2020

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