Cannabidiol, CBD, would help reduce lung damage caused by Covid-19 infection.
- CBD increases apelin levels that are close to zero in patients with fatal respiratory distress syndrome
- Raising apelin levels could help limit the cytokine shock that leads to an overreaction of the immune system that causes lung damage.
Smoking CBD helps reduce lung damage from Covid-19. This sentence may seem surprising knowing that smoking cannabis is associated with risks of lung inflammation. However, American researchers from the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) at Augusta University have found that cannabidiol, the full name of CBD, helps reduce the lung damage caused by Covid-19. They published the results of their research on October 15 in the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine.
CBD brings apelin levels back to normal
The key to CBD in preventing damage is in apelin levels. This protective molecule is made by cells in the blood, brain, heart, lungs and fatty tissue, and plays a role in regulating blood pressure while reducing inflammation. Researchers found that patients who develop lung damage have low levels of apelin. These low levels are caused by the cytokine shock caused by the Covid-19 infection which leads the immune system to overreact and cause inflammation.
Researchers have noticed that CBD helps increase apelin levels and reduce cytokine storm, leading to reduced lung damage. The levels of this molecule, close to zero in patients who have fatal respiratory distress syndrome, increase 20 times after taking CBD. “CBD almost brought her back to normal,” said Dr. Jack Yu, Physician Scientist and Chief of Pediatric Plastic Surgery and lead author of the study.
Results to be confirmed
These results are the result of an observational study and need to be confirmed. Either way, CBD is proven to cause an increase in apelin. “It’s an association but we don’t yet know what’s causative, but it’s a very good indicator of the disease”, continued Dr. Babak Baban, immunologist and author of this study.
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