Study: Cannabis Compound CBD May Help Prevent, Treat COVID

A new study provides evidence that the cannabis compound¹ CBD can block infections of COVID-19 in human cells and mice.

The study was led by American researchers from the University of Chicago. Marsha Rosner led the team. She is a professor in the university's Ben May Department of Cancer Research.

Rosner told Reuters the research showed that CBD was able to block the virus that causes COVID-19 from replicating², or making copies of itself, in human lung cells.

CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is the second most active substance found in cannabis, also known as marijuana, Harvard Medical School reports. The main chemical substance in cannabis is THC. THC is what gives marijuana users³ the mental state known as a high. CBD contains almost no THC.

In the experiment, researchers treated human lung cells with CBD for two hours before introducing the virus to the cells, the University of Chicago said in a report. The team found that CBD, when given in the right amounts, reduced the virus' ability to replicate⁴ in the cells.

The researchers reported the same results when the experiment was performed on two other kinds of cells. They said CBD was able to reduce virus replication in several different versions⁵, or variants⁶, of COVID-19.

The team noted⁷ that CBD was not able to stop the virus from entering cells. But it was found to be effective at blocking replication of the virus during early infection and six hours after the virus had already infected the cells. Similar results were reported in experiments involving mice.

The study was recently published in Science Advances. The research offers some hope for CBD as a possible treatment for COVID-19. But Rosner said more studies are needed to measure the true effectiveness of CBD. "Our findings⁸ do not say this will work in patients. Our findings make a strong case for a clinical trial," she said.

The researchers also looked at a group of adults with severe epilepsy who were taking an approved CBD drug. They found that individuals in the group had lower rates of COVID-19. But Rosner said that area of research also needs actual clinical trials before any conclusions can be made.

The team also included THC in the experiments. But Rosner said the substance did not keep the virus out of cells or prevent it from replicating. "Not only did THC not work, but combining it with CBD prevented CBD from working," she said.

Several other studies have been carried out and some small CBD trials with COVID-19 are currently⁹ going on, Reuters reports. Rosner's team plans to explore the possibility of a clinical trial involving people with mild cases of COVID-19.

Rosner says she is concerned that media reports overstating that possible use of cannabinoids may lead people to self-medicate with CBD and avoid getting vaccinated¹⁰ or wear a face covering.

"We would love to be able to say specifically¹¹" that a set amount of cannabinoids is helpful, she said. But, she added, at this point, "vaccine-induced antibodies and antibody drugs are much more effective at blocking infection."

Words in This Story

clinical trial – n. a scientific test of the effectiveness and safety of something such as a drug or medical treatment

conclusion – n. the final part of something

overstate – v. to describe or explain something in a way that makes it seem more important or serious than it really is

specific – adj. relating to one, particular thing

induce¹² – v. to cause something to happen

1 compound   

n.化合物；大院；adj.化合的；vt.加重；使化合

参考例句：

• Air is a mixture,not a compound of gases.空气是气体的混合物，不是化合物。
• How many households in the compound?院内有几家住户？

2 replicating   

复制( replicate的现在分词 )； 重复； 再造； 再生

参考例句：

• Applications create these partitions for storing and replicating data. 应用程序创建这些分区用来储存和复制数据。
• The closest real things to these creatures were bits of self-replicating RNA. 最贴近这些造物的实物是能做一点微不足道的自复制的核糖核酸。

3 users   

用户，使用者( user的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The new software will prove a boon to Internet users. 这种新软件将会对互联网用户大有益处。
• Ramps should be provided for wheelchair users. 应该给轮椅使用者提供坡道。

4 replicate   

v.折叠，复制，模写；n.同样的样品；adj.转折的

参考例句：

• The DNA of chromatin must replicate before cell division.染色质DNA在细胞分裂之前必须复制。
• It is also easy to replicate,as the next subsection explains.就像下一个小节详细说明的那样，它还可以被轻易的复制。

5 versions   

n.译本( version的名词复数 )；版本；（个人对事件的）描述；（原物的）变体

参考例句：

• There are two versions of the game, a long one and a short one. 这游戏有两个版本，一长一短。
• When both versions of the story were collated,major discrepancies were found. 在将这个故事的两个版本对照后，找出了主要的不符之处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 variants   

n.变体( variant的名词复数 )；变种；变型；（词等的）变体

参考例句：

• Those variants will be preserved in the'struggle for existence". 这些变异将在“生存竞争”中被保留下来。 来自辞典例句
• Like organisms, viruses have variants, generally called strains. 与其他生物一样，病毒也有变种，一般称之为株系。 来自辞典例句

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 findings   

n.发现物( finding的名词复数 )；调查（或研究）的结果；（陪审团的）裁决

参考例句：

• It behoves us to study these findings carefully. 我们理应认真研究这些发现。
• Their findings have been widely disseminated . 他们的研究成果已经广为传播。

9 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

10 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

11 specifically   

adv.明确地，具体地；特别地，特意

参考例句：

• The book was written specifically for children.这本书是特地为儿童编写的。
• I told you specifically not to do that.我明确地告诉你不要那样做。

12 induce   

vt.引诱，劝；引起，导致

参考例句：

• The medicine will induce sleep.这种药使人入睡。
• Certain chemicals can induce undesirable changes in the nervous system.有些化学物质能在神经系统中引起不良变化。