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A new study by researchers in Britain and Italy suggests tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main substance found in marijuana, shows promise as an antibacterial agent against bacterias that are resistant to treatment with broad spectrum antibiotics such as penicillin and methicillin.
Experiments in the 1950s tested a host of marijuana compositions against skin and various infections. But, at that time, they had very little understanding of marijuana’s chemical makeup.
For the study, researchers examined the antibacterial activities of five common types of cannabinoids. All five proved effective against several common multi-resistant bacterial strains. However, researchers suggest nonpsychotropic cannabinoids may be more promising for eventual use.
Researchers are unsure how exactly cannabinoids work and if they would prove effective as systemic antibiotics, which would require more trials and research. But the compounds may be useful as a topical agent against meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (more commonly known as a “staph infection”), or MRSA infection, to prevent bacteria from colonizing the skin.
The study was led by Giovanni Appendino, of the University of the Eastern Piedmont, and published in The Journal of Natural Products. #