Cannabis-Based Antibiotics are Coming to Destroy Superbugs!
Image Credit: David Amián Valle
Superbugs. This is not a word anyone wants to acknowledge right now, but we are forced to each time we get an infection. How bad is the antibiotic-resistant infection problem? According to the CDC, each year at least 2.8 million Americans get an antibiotic-resistant infection and these superbugs are responsible for more than 35,000 deaths.
However, cannabis is coming to our rescue in fighting superbugs. According to a study published by the University of Queensland in the Communications Biology Journal found that CBD kills the bacteria responsible for super gonorrhoea, meningitis and legionnaires disease, and shows a low tendency to cause resistance to antibiotics.
Another recent study, this one conducted by McMaster University in Ontario proved that another cannabis derivative, CBG, is effective at killing MRSA, a particularly dangerous superbug. And like the other study, this one too proved antimicrobial resistance. That means superbugs can’t form in the first place, which is a huge development for modern medicine.
The problem? These solutions and many others involving cannabis medical research are at least five years from becoming a reality. That’s because the drug approval process is lengthy, but also because in the case of CBD, more research is needed to put it into an effective pill form. Currently it has only shown promise in topical form, but according to the report authors’ that is a relatively small hurdle to cross.
The bottom line is that cannabis continues to push the boundaries from a medical perspective and continues to solve medical problems that have plagued humans for centuries. So the next time someone asks you about the power of CBD and other cannabinoids, refer them to your knowledge of the plant’s ability to fight superbugs!
If you are curious about the medical power of cannabis and CBD and want to learn more, stop by Canna West Seattle and talk to our budtenders. They are a wealth of knowledge!