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Cannabinoids Block Cellular Entry of SARS-CoV‐2 and the Emerging Variants
ABSTRACT: 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. In follow-up
virus neutralization assays, cannabigerolic acid and cannabidiolic
acid prevented infection of human epithelial cells by a pseudovirus
expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and prevented entry of
live SARS-CoV-2 into cells. Importantly, cannabigerolic acid and cannabidiolic acid were equally effective against the SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant B.1.1.7 and the beta variant B.1.351. Orally bioavailable and with a long history of safe human use, these cannabinoids, isolated or in hemp extracts, have the potential to prevent as well as treat infection by SARS-CoV-2.
ABSTRACT: 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. In follow-up
virus neutralization assays, cannabigerolic acid and cannabidiolic
acid prevented infection of human epithelial cells by a pseudovirus
expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and prevented entry of
live SARS-CoV-2 into cells. Importantly, cannabigerolic acid and cannabidiolic acid were equally effective against the SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant B.1.1.7 and the beta variant B.1.351. Orally bioavailable and with a long history of safe human use, these cannabinoids, isolated or in hemp extracts, have the potential to prevent as well as treat infection by SARS-CoV-2.
acs.jnatprod.1c00946%23
Posted from pubs.acs.org
Marijuana
Coronavirus COVID19
Healthcare
Medicine
Public Health
Posted 3 y ago
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Translating what occurs in cell culture to what happens in a human body is way beyond the scope of this initial foray into use of cannabinoids. But our cells do have naturally occurring cannabinoid receptors, including cells of our immune system, as well as the fact that we make endogenous cannabinoids
https://www.news-medical.net/health/Cannabinoid-Receptors.aspx
https://www.news-medical.net/health/Cannabinoid-Receptors.aspx
Cannabinoids exert their effects by interacting with cannabinoid receptors present on the surface of cells in different parts of the central nervous system.
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