Medical Cannabis and Its Antimicrobial Effects

Currently, the antimicrobial effects of certain drugs, such as antibiotics, have been affected by worldwide self-medication and inappropriate or indiscriminate administration. For this reason, scientists have begun looking for alternative strategies to mitigate the resistance different bacteria possess (bacterial resistance).

Many researchers have focused on the synergistic effect of using plant extracts such as Cannabis sativa combined with conventional antibiotics.

In vitro studies showed that cannabis extracts and purified cannabinoids are more active against Gram-positive bacteria, including multidrug-resistant microorganisms, against yeast and some Gram-negative bacteria.

Among the pathogens on which Cannabis extracts act are the Gram-positive bacteria of the genera Enterococcus and Streptococcus, which are causative agents of urinary tract infections, endocarditis, bacteremias, and respiratory infections.

One of the extracts, named Futura, showed satisfactory results against Clostridia (involved in abdominal infections), and a similar variety, known as Futura 75, showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (multidrug-resistant) and strains of Helicobacter pylori (which is the causative agent of peptic ulcers).

Additionally, pure phytocannabinoids (CBD, CBC, CBN, CBG, CBGA) have been studied, demonstrating their antimicrobial power against resistant strains of S. aureus, present as dental plaque, and therefore, favoring dental health.

Based on these results, cannabinoids favorably contribute to the antimicrobial activity of conventional antibiotics in their goal of eradicating resistant bacteria and vice versa. Likewise, some antibiotics maintain and prolong the antimicrobial activity of cannabinoids.

For example, CBD enhances how antibiotics such as erythromycin and rifampicin affect Escherichia coli, and bacitracin against MRSA, Enterococcus faecalis L. monocytogenes, and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Research still has a long way to go to establish antimicrobial treatment regimens with cannabis derivatives. Nevertheless, the findings are useful in showing the potential antibacterial activity of cannabinoids, which in the not too distant future could help fight the silent pandemic of bacterial resistance.

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