In Canada and Israel, several studies are testing the effects of cannabis on coronavirus.

The coronavirus pandemic has spurred many teams of scientists to search for preventive or curative treatments for COVID-19. Clinical studies on cannabis are no exception, and several are already investigating whether cannabis might be effective against the coronavirus.

In Israel, in addition to the study already mentioned that will test the prescription of CBD for COVID patients+ For patients with moderate symptoms, two Israeli companies have begun clinical trials to see if CBD combined with other medications could save lives threatened by COVID-19.

The Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva is currently investigating whether the CBD, when combined with certain steroids, may help control the infection caused by the novel coronavirus. The study will be conducted in partnership with Stero Biotech, an Israeli CBD company, and Clalit, Israel’s largest health insurance provider.

«We believe that our CBD-based treatment can improve the current care for patients with life-threatening conditions,» said declared David Bass, founder and CEO of Stero Biotech. «Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are primarily treated with steroids, and our study is designed to demonstrate the benefit of a combination therapy with steroid treatments. We hope this study will lead to faster benefits for the growing number of COVID-19 patients in Israel and around the world.»

A second clinical trial on CBD is being conducted as part of a partnership between Tel Aviv University and InnoCan Pharma. The treatment will deliver CBD via exosomes. Exosomes are cellular structures created by stem cells as they multiply. In other words, InnoCan and the university expect the exosomes to act like «homing missiles,» targeting specific cells damaged by COVID-19. The CBD will go to those cells and those cells alone.

«[We] know that cannabis has anti-inflammatory properties, and if it can stop the cytokine storm [in COVID-19 patients], that would be great news,» said declared Professor Alon Grosman, head of internal medicine at Beilinson Hospital.

Canadian researchers also hope to investigate whether cannabinoids can help treat COVID-19. In addition to a Canadian doctor who announced his intention to conduct clinical trials on cannabinoids To determine whether compounds found in cannabis can help patients with COVID-19 reduce inflammation and strengthen their immune systems, a pair of researchers in Alberta conducted preliminary studies. They found that specific cannabis extracts showed promise as a treatment for COVID-19.

Their results have been published online, although they have not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a journal.

The study focuses on how certain cannabis extracts affect the ACE2 and TMPRSS2 proteins. These proteins are embedded in the cell membrane and serve as a key entry point for the novel coronavirus to enter host cells. The researchers used cannabis extracts to modulate the levels of these enzymes.

Preliminary data suggest that 13 CBD-rich cannabis extracts may modulate ACE2 expression in COVID-19 target tissues and downregulate TMPRSS2. The results demonstrate that these high-CBD strains have the potential to serve as a treatment for COVID-19.

«Given the current epidemiological situation, which is deteriorating and evolving rapidly, all treatment options must be considered,» he declared Dr. Kovalchuk. «Our team is actively seeking partnerships to conduct clinical trials.»