Could cannabis be a solution to antibiotic resistance?

In a recent study published in Pharmaceuticals, a team of Malaysian chemists has gathered evidence that cannabinoids are effective in fighting infections where other drugs fail.

«C. sativa is a plant with untapped potential,» write the authors. «This versatile plant can be used for a variety of purposes. Despite its complex metabolic profile and use as a recreational substance, its therapeutic benefits should not be ignored or overshadowed.»

«According to all the data in this study, the cannabinoids and other cannabis constituents have shown impressive in vitro antibacterial properties that should be further explored in the search for new substances that could potentially function as antimicrobial agents against clinically significant bacteria.» they conclude.

The use of cannabinoids in combination with other drugs then seems to be one of the most favored avenues, «the results of previous studies suggest that cannabinoids can potentially improve the efficacy of existing antibiotics.»

Cannabinoids and antibiotic properties

In 2020, a Danish study already noted that the CBD helps fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The researchers discovered that by using CBD in addition to traditional treatments, the staphylococci no longer divided as they normally would. Fewer antibiotics were needed for treatment.

A study published in 2021 in the journal Communications Biology tested CBD's effect on bacteria and found it to be effective against more than 20 types of bacteria, many with drug-resistant properties.

«Importantly, we are also demonstrating that the CBD does not lead to resistance after repeated exposure», wrote the authors, indicating that this drug may remain useful over time, whereas the efficacy of some antibiotics can fade in as little as two years or less.

A conclusion also reached by Australian researchers in 2019.

«Given cannabidiol's documented anti-inflammatory effects, existing human safety data and the potential for varied routes of administration, this is a promising new antibiotic that deserves further study,» said Dr. Blaskovich.

«The combination of inherent antimicrobial activity and the potential to reduce damage caused by the inflammatory response to infection is particularly attractive.»

CBD is not the only cannabinoid with a potential effect on superbugs. The CBG, although its pharmacology is more complex, has also been called upon to combat antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

According to Canadian researchers, CBG is effective against Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-resistant (MRSA), on a par with vancomycin, an antibiotic that doctors often use as a last option to kill bacteria that have resisted all other drugs.

In the same study, CBG also proved effective against Gram-negative bacteria when combined with polymyxin B, whereas its action was null when tested alone.

The authors of the study, published in Pharmaceuticals, note that the biggest current obstacle is the difficulty of conducting research on cannabinoids.

«Because of the difficulty of complying with the legal requirements of these laws, researchers and funding agencies may be less inclined to examine innovative products,» lament the journal's authors Pharmaceuticals