Researchers from Florida International University (FIU) have discovered that CBD (cannabidiol) may hold promise as a therapy for individuals living with HIV.
The study found that CBD’s anti-inflammatory effects can help keep HIV-infected cells in the brain dormant, preventing them from becoming active.
HIV infection can lead to neuroinflammation, which triggers infected cells hiding in the brain to become active, replicate, and spread the virus within the body.
CBD was shown to work at the molecular level to reduce inflammation and maintain the dormancy of these cells.
HIV infects immune cells in the bloodstream and can cross the blood-brain barrier, targeting microglia, the brain’s immune cells.
Infected microglia can become dormant but are activated by neuroinflammation, leading to the production of the virus and its spread out of the brain and into the bloodstream.
This study is significant because HIV-associated neuroinflammation can cause cognitive-related symptoms.
Many people with HIV rely on cannabis or medical marijuana to manage various symptoms, but these products often contain THC, which can produce psychoactive effects and other side effects.
In contrast, CBD was found to reduce the number of inflammatory molecules and keep infected brain cells from activating.
Researchers believe that CBD has the potential to be a promising candidate for the treatment of neurocognitive disorders and other inflammatory conditions caused by HIV.
However, further research, including clinical trials with different CBD formulations, will be needed to fully understand its potential therapeutic applications.
If you care about health, please read studies that vitamin D can help reduce inflammation, and vitamin K could lower your heart disease risk by a third.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about new way to halt excessive inflammation, and results showing foods that could cause inflammation.
The research findings can be found in Scientific Reports.
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