SARS-CoV-2 – Society of Cannabis Clinicians https://www.cannabisclinicians.org Educating Healthcare Professionals about the Medical Use of Cannabis Sat, 29 Apr 2023 02:42:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.3 https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/cropped-scc-flavicon-32x32.png SARS-CoV-2 – Society of Cannabis Clinicians https://www.cannabisclinicians.org 32 32 Antiviral activities of hemp cannabinoids https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/2023/04/28/antiviral-activities-of-hemp-cannabinoids/ Sat, 29 Apr 2023 02:42:17 +0000 https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/?p=28472 Hemp is an understudied source of pharmacologically active compounds and many unique plant secondary metabolites including more than 100 cannabinoids. After years of legal restriction, research on hemp has recently demonstrated antiviral activities in silico, in vitro, and in vivo for cannabidiol (CBD), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), and several other cannabinoids against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and γ-herpes viruses. Mechanisms of action include inhibition of viral cell entry, inhibition of viral proteases, and stimulation of cellular innate immune responses. The anti-inflammatory properties of cannabinoids are also under investigation for mitigating the cytokine storm of COVID-19 and controlling chronic inflammation in people living with HIV. Retrospective clinical studies support antiviral activities of CBD, Δ9-THC, and cannabinoid mixtures as do some prospective clinical trials, but appropriately designed clinical trials of safety and efficacy of antiviral cannabinoids are urgently needed.

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]]> Pathogenesis Underlying Neurological Manifestations of Long COVID Syndrome and Potential Therapeutics https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/2023/03/11/pathogenesis-underlying-neurological-manifestations-of-long-covid-syndrome-and-potential-therapeutics/ Sat, 11 Mar 2023 13:53:18 +0000 https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/?p=28002 The development of long-term symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) more than four weeks after primary infection, termed “long COVID” or post-acute sequela of COVID-19 (PASC), can implicate persistent neurological complications in up to one third of patients and present as fatigue, “brain fog”, headaches, cognitive impairment, dysautonomia, neuropsychiatric symptoms, anosmia, hypogeusia, and peripheral neuropathy. Pathogenic mechanisms of these symptoms of long COVID remain largely unclear; however, several hypotheses implicate both nervous system and systemic pathogenic mechanisms such as SARS-CoV2 viral persistence and neuroinvasion, abnormal immunological response, autoimmunity, coagulopathies, and endotheliopathy. Outside of the CNS, SARS-CoV-2 can invade the support and stem cells of the olfactory epithelium leading to persistent alterations to olfactory function. SARS-CoV-2 infection may induce abnormalities in innate and adaptive immunity including monocyte expansion, T-cell exhaustion, and prolonged cytokine release, which may cause neuroinflammatory responses and microglia activation, white matter abnormalities, and microvascular changes. Additionally, microvascular clot formation can occlude capillaries and endotheliopathy, due to SARS-CoV-2 protease activity and complement activation, can contribute to hypoxic neuronal injury and blood–brain barrier dysfunction, respectively. Current therapeutics target pathological mechanisms by employing antivirals, decreasing inflammation, and promoting olfactory epithelium regeneration. Thus, from laboratory evidence and clinical trials in the literature, we sought to synthesize the pathophysiological pathways underlying neurological symptoms of long COVID and potential therapeutics.

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]]> Cannabis Use and COVID-19 Hospitalization Outcomes. A Retrospective Study https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/2023/02/03/cannabis-use-and-covid-19-hospitalization-outcomes-a-retrospective-study/ Sat, 04 Feb 2023 01:44:11 +0000 https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/?p=27664 In vitro studies have shown cannabinoids blocking SARS-CoV-2 cellular entry and affecting replication. There is a paucity of data assessing the effect of cannabis on patients hospitalized with COVID in the USA. The aim of our study was to assess mortality and complication rates in patients hospitalized with COVID stratified by cannabis use.

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]]> Anti-Inflammatory and Antiviral Effects of Cannabinoids in Inhibiting and Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/2022/05/02/anti-inflammatory-and-antiviral-effects-of-cannabinoids-in-inhibiting-and-preventing-sars-cov-2-infection/ Mon, 02 May 2022 22:23:20 +0000 https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/?p=26428 The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus made it necessary to search for new options for both causal treatment and mitigation of its symptoms. Scientists and researchers around the world are constantly looking for the best therapeutic options. These difficult circumstances have also spurred the re-examination of the potential of natural substances contained in Cannabis sativa L. Cannabinoids, apart from CB1 and CB2 receptors, may act multifacetedly through a number of other receptors, such as the GPR55, TRPV1, PPARs, 5-HT1A, adenosine and glycine receptors.

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]]> Cannabinoids Block Cellular Entry of SARS-CoV-2 and the Emerging Variants https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/2022/01/17/cannabinoids-block-cellular-entry-of-sars-cov-2-and-the-emerging-variants/ Tue, 18 Jan 2022 01:40:13 +0000 https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/?p=26049 As a complement to vaccines, small-molecule therapeutic agents are needed to treat or prevent infections by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants, which cause COVID-19. Affinity selection–mass spectrometry was used for the discovery of botanical ligands to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Cannabinoid acids from hemp (Cannabis sativa) were found to be allosteric as well as orthosteric ligands with micromolar affinity for the spike protein.

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]]> Cannabidiol Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Replication and Promotes the Host Innate Immune Response https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/2021/03/29/cannabidiol-inhibits-sars-cov-2-replication-and-promotes-the-host-innate-immune-response/ Mon, 29 Mar 2021 15:46:51 +0000 https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/?p=22301 The rapid spread of COVID-19 underscores the need for new treatments. Here we report that cannabidiol (CBD), a compound produced by the cannabis plant, inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection. CBD and its metabolite, 7-OH-CBD, but not congeneric cannabinoids, potently block SARS-CoV-2 replication in lung epithelial cells. CBD acts after cellular infection, inhibiting viral gene expression and reversing many effects of SARS-CoV-2 on host gene transcription. CBD induces interferon expression and up-regulates its antiviral signaling pathway.

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