In several new studies, researchers found acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), when caused by a bacterial toxin known as Staphylococcal enterotoxin, can be completely prevented by treatment with Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant.
This exciting finding also suggests a possible treatment for ARDS caused by COVID-19.
The research was conducted by a team at the University of South Carolina.
The team had for years studied how plant-derived compounds can be used to prevent and reduce inflammation throughout the body.
They had been working on cannabinoids for over 20 years and found that cannabinoids such as THC are highly anti-inflammatory.
The incidence of ARDS in the United States is 78.9 per 100,000 persons/year and the mortality rate is 38.5%.
When inhaled, Staphylococcal enterotoxin can cause ARDS by activating immune cells to produce massive amounts of cytokines leading to “cytokine storm,” which can cause the lungs and other organs to fail, often resulting in death.
This immune process is similar to that seen in patients with severe COVID-19 who are admitted to the hospital and develop ARDS accompanied by a cytokine storm, which leads to respiratory and multi-organ failure.
These studies therefore raise the exciting possibility of using cannabinoids to treat ARDS seen in COVID-19 patients.
These studies also showed that Staphylococcal enterotoxin alters the microbiome in the lungs leading to the emergence of pathogenic microbiota.
But THC helps this symptom too, by promoting beneficial bacteria that suppress inflammation thereby preventing the damage to the lungs.
The team says ARDS is triggered by a variety of etiologic agents. Currently, there are no FDA-approved drugs to treat ARDS because of which the mortality rate is close to 40%.
The studies suggest that THC is highly effective to treat ARDS and thus, clinical trials are critical to investigate if this works.
Thus, the studies raise the exciting suggestion to test THC against ARDS seen in COVID-19 patients.
One author of the study is Dr. Mitzi Nagarkatti.
The study is published in the British Journal of Pharmacology.
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