Researchers Find How Cannabis Fights The New Coronavirus

Cannabis plant (Viciousartstudios / Pixabay)

JAKARTA - The search for drugs and vaccines for COVID-19 leads researchers to traditional ways. In Canada, researchers claim marijuana extract can protect humans from the new coronavirus. This finding is hopeful, considering that various trials on chemical preparations are always at a dead end.

Dr. Igor Kovalchuck, a professor of biological sciences at Lethbridge University, called this research the start of important possibilities for the future. "The results against COVID-19 come from our research on arthritis, Crohn's disease, cancer and others," he said, quoted from DW, Tuesday, May 13.

In research revealed that several types of marijuana can increase the body's resistance to fighting the virus. They can also reduce the ability of the virus to survive, reproduce and spread in the body, especially the lungs.

The research by Kovalchuck and his colleagues was published at preprints.org, an online scientific journal website. On that page, the world's scientists can publish their research results independently without the need for verification by authorized experts.

In the paper, Kovalchuck and colleagues explain that they developed several types of cannabis specifically. Among them are showing very good reactions in blocking the new type of corona virus from entering the human body.

How?

Consumption of marijuana by smoking (Unsplash)

The paper explains how marijuana can prevent corona. Explained, the corona virus requires receptors to enter host cells in the human body. The receptor is known as "angiotensin-converting enzyme II" or ACE2.

ACE2 is usually found in lung tissue, in the mucus of the mouth, nose, kidneys, testes, and digestive tract. In the theory they describe, cannabis is able to modify ACE2 levels at the "entrance" to human host cells.

By lowering the ACE2 level at the entrance to the host cell, susceptibility to the corona virus can be minimized. In plain language, marijuana works to reduce the risk of infection. "If there is no ACE2 on the network, the virus will not enter," explained.

At their research facility in Alberta, Kovalhuck Cs developed more than eight hundred cannabis sativa variants. All types are modified to obtain high cannabidiol (CBD) content.

CBD which is also commonly called cannabinoid is another main compound of marijuana besides THC (tetrahydro cannabidiol). If THC plays an important role as a substance that causes psychoactive reactions when marijuana is consumed, CBD is known as a miracle agent, a cure for various diseases.

Not. CBD does not cure a disease through an immediate resistance reaction. CBD works by optimizing the work of the body organs. When the organs work in their prime, the body will have its own ability to fight various diseases.

This is possible because every human being actually has a "cannabis compound" in the nervous system as well as immune and endocrine networks. Marijuana compounds are known as endocannabinoids.

When CBD enters the tissues of the human body, it triggers the work of the immune system which is supported by endocannabinoids, which are basically molecules that act as binding receptors for CBD compounds.

Numerous studies have found a million benefits of CBD as medical marijuana. Medical marijuana is known to improve health conditions due to cancer, diabetes, and dementia.