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A cannabis-based drug may help severe corona patients

An Israeli study has shown that a drug based on extracts from the cannabis plant succeeds in effectively suppressing the inflammatory immune response that complicates the condition of severe corona patients and endangers their lives.

• Corona
• Cannabis
• Medical Cannabis

Walla! health

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Can a drug based on the cannabis plant improve the chances of survival of critically ill patients in Corona? Preliminary results of a study in the drug NT-VRL based on cannabis extracts showed that it manages to suppress the acute inflammatory response that occurs in the health of severe Covid-19 patients.

In the study, the drug was tested against another drug - dexamethasone, a well-known steroid drug, which a few months ago was found to be particularly effective in treating the life-threatening inflammatory condition in corona patients. The results showed that the treatment with cannabis extracts was at least as effective as the steroid treatment. This is a pretty impressive success rate.

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The drug tested is a formulation of terpenes from the cannabis plant - terpenes are types of carbohydrates found in organic extracts of certain plants. And the results show that terpenes have the potential to suppress the cytokine storm that occurs in coronary heart disease (COVID-19).

A cytokine storm is an inflammatory immune response in which white cells are released that release cytokines, which in turn lead to the activation of additional white cells. The main symptoms of a cytokine storm are fever, fatigue and vomiting, but in some cases it can lead to a life-threatening condition in which the patient needs respiration.

The current study was conducted in Israel, and its initial results, published on the Health Europa website, show that a combination therapy of cannabis formulation from the cannabis plant and cannabidiol (CBD) is twice as effective as using CBD alone, and more effective than dexamethasone, an anti-inflammatory drug from the corticosteroid family. The study was initiated by the companies Eybna and Cannasoul, who announced in April that they would collaborate on this project.

The NT-VRL formulation contains terpenes produced by Eybna and is patented. The terpenes used in this formulation were specially selected for their anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. The drug is specifically designed to be used in an inhaler and not to be taken in tablet or edible form. "This innovative form of administration allows us to derive the medical benefits of these plant-derived organic compounds," explained Nadav Eyal, CEO of Ivana.

The study examined the efficacy of CBD and the NT-VRL formulation as a single therapy and as a combination therapy, and found that the combination therapy is the most effective. Not only does the study illustrate the effectiveness of Ibna's special terpenes, but torpedoes also have other uses, beyond flavors and aromas.

Also Walla's GP! Health Dr. Idan Goren believes that these research findings are encouraging. He says, “These preliminary findings reinforce the fact that under controlled conditions, when an active ingredient is synthesized, a therapeutic effect can be achieved. "The more such studies and the more accurate formulas we can use cannabis in an informed way, and not as a 'miracle cure' for any disease, but with the exact formula and dosage and contraindications that prove effective."

Cannabis and Corona

The study conducted in Israel is not the only one examining the potential of cannabis as a treatment to alleviate the symptoms of cytokine outbreaks that occur in coronary heart disease (COVID-19), as well as in the possible prevention of virus infection in the first place. In June of this year, two Canadian researchers hypothesized that a particular strain of the cannabis plant might be effective in fighting the corona plague (COVID-19) thanks to its ability to impair the binding of the virus to ACE2 receptors through which it enters the body.

"Like other pathogens in the respiratory tract, the new corona virus (SARS-CoV2) is transmitted primarily by droplet spray, with some chance of contact with the air and airway." to the body, "the study said." regulating the expression level of the receptor ACE2 in these tissues is a possible strategy of reducing the chances of infection, "explained the researchers.

researchers, Olga and Igor Kovalchuk (Kovalchuck), worked for years on the development of a new strain of cannabis plant treatment Effective anti-inflammatory and cancer disease. With the outbreak of the corona pandemic, the duo decided to focus their efforts on testing the efficacy of the strain they developed to treat coronary heart disease (COVID-19). The couple's work was published in the April issue of the medical journal Preprints.

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At this point, the research of the Koblchuk research duo is purely theoretical. However, when you look at the two studies (the Israeli one and the Canadian one) it indicates the possible medical potential inherent in the cannabis plant and the benefits it may have in treating corona patients and possibly also in preventing infection.

"The cannabis plant is built like a complex crossword puzzle, with many solutions we have not yet discovered. It is exciting to see that even in the fight against a violent virus like the corona, there are virtues that can be exploited from this wonderful plant," said Noa Gil, a certified nurse. She added that, "the more research there is the greater the benefits of the cannabis plant and we will be able to make it accessible to patients and in general."