Cannabis compounds may stop Covid infection, study suggests – syracuse.com

Researchers from Oregon State University published a study suggesting marijuana compounds known as hemp can prevent Covid from entering human cells, WDIV-TV reports.

Richard van Breemen is the lead researcher at Oregon State’s Global Hemp Innovation Center, College of Pharmacy, and Linus Pauling Institute. He says hemp compounds known as cannabis Sativa are a source of animal feed, fiber, and food; hemp is also used in body lotions, cosmetics, dietary supplements, and food.

In an OSU press release, the team of researchers found a way of blocking the coronavirus from infecting people when “cannabinoid acids bind to spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2,” the virus that causes Covid-19.

“These compounds can be taken orally and have a long history of safe use in humans,” van Breemen said, according to Bloomberg. “They have the potential to prevent as well as treat infection by SARS-CoV-2.”

“These cannabinoid acids are abundant in hemp and in many hemp extracts,” van Breemen also said.

“They are not controlled substances like THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, and have a good safety profile in humans,” he added. “And our research showed the hemp compounds were equally effective against variants of SARS-CoV-2, including variant B.1.1.7 (alpha), which was first detected in the United Kingdom, and variant B.1.351 (beta), first detected in South Africa.”

Late-night TV hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert joked about the study Wednesday night.

“Technically, these are compounds that have to be extracted and not smoked, but there’s anecdotal support for the Covid-fighting properties of weed itself because as of today — and this is true — three people who’ve yet to get Covid are Seth Rogen, Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg,” Colbert said on “The Late Show.”