Possibility of CBD treating COVID-19? Health experts weigh in on the recent study

MARYLAND- Can a non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis help prevent or treat COVID-19? It’s a question some are asking, after a recent study was done in a laboratory looking at cells infected with COVID.

“I am pleased that more and more folks are starting to look and understand hey maybe the cannabis plant has a lot more applicability in modern medicine than we thought,” Anthony Darby, CEO of Peninsula Alternative Health, said.

A team at the University of Chicago used small doses of highly purified CBD during the study and found the CBD activated after the virus was in the cells.

“What it showed in that little study was that it maybe helped to keep the virus from replicating itself, but it didn’t show anything to protect you from it,” Dr. Sally Dowling, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Atlantic General Hospital, said.

But even with these results, Dr. Dowling said we shouldn’t jump to conclusions.

“Even the people doing the study say just cause we see something basically in a test tube doesn’t mean its going to convert to being protective in human beings,” Dr. Dowling said.

This isn’t the only study that’s been done with cannabis though. A team used doses of CBG and CBDA in a study reported in the Journal of Natural Products.

“We have known that minor cannabinoids like CBGA and CBDA have these compounds to them these properties, anti-viral properties, properties that slow down infections,” Darby said.

While this may sound promising, health experts said more research is a good thing, and that the COVID-19 vaccines are still the best way to stay safe during the pandemic.

“The vaccine basically helps your body form antibodies to the virus and CBD wont do anything to form antibodies,” Dr. Dowling said.

“I’m hopeful that we will see some loosening up of regulations around the research and development piece, it’s very wonky right now in terms of cannabis based research,” Darby said.

It is noted in one of the studies that small doses of THC did not keep the virus out of cells or prevent it from replicating. Adding, that combining THC with CBD prevented the CBD from working.