With COVID, we have never been more aware of critical shortages of masks, ventilators, hospital beds, etc., all leading to rationing. In this BLOG, Dr Frankel, examines how rationing in our medical care is a much bigger problem than just face masks.
In a recent Canadian Study, scientists have presented reasonably good data supporting the notion that CBD rich cannabis strains may be helpful with COVID-19. It appears from this article, that cannabinoids, particularly CBD, reduce the number of pulmonary receptors for the COVID-19 virus. The receptors for the viral particles have been found to be greatly reduced in number by smoking many different strains or by taking a rich Sativa Cannabis CBD extract.
In fact, it seems that CBD extracts taken sublingually are effective in reducing the number of viral receptors as well as blocking much of the Cytokine Storm, which is the severe inflammatory response of the lung from COVID-19. I would think that vaporized or even smoked CBD rich cannabis may play a role in prevention as well as potentially helping with a developed case with a severe, life-threatening Cytokine Storm.
Israel is now treating a group of COVID-19 patients with CBD at one major hospital.
So, how does cannabis work? More specifically how does CBD help prevent the infection to begin with? There are various ACE-2 type receptors in our body; particularly in the lung and GI Tract. These receptors are involved in infection and inflammation. The ACE2 receptors are Angiotensin Converting Enzyme type receptors that when expressed, puts us at an increased rate of becoming infected.
By “modulating” or controlling the number of these receptors, we can modulate or change the ability of the COVID virus to infect the lung.
It is fascinating that the ACE2 expression is mostly in the lungs and GI tract, which is largely where COVID-19 causes the most damage.
As previously discussed, CBD helps block the CYTOKINE Storm, but in addition, helps with anxiety, asthmatic airways and more. Certainly, now seeing the possibility that CBD extracts might prevent the actual viral infection from taking place, it becomes something serious to further study as well as trying its use in appropriate patients?
I wonder what the incidence of cannabis use is in the 100,000 Americans who have passed away from COVID. Can this data be found?
There are no side effects with Whole Plant CBD rich extracts in doses of perhaps 70 mg daily. Again, NOT hemp based isolates. I am strictly a whole plant Cannabis guy.
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With the Corona Virus, what causes severe disease and death is severe inflammation in the lungs. Patients essentially die of "drowning'. It turns out that CBD can help minimize pulmonary inflammation when it is severe. It is able to help prevent and help