Medical breakthrough, as it was revealed that cannabis could kill superbugs and save 10 million lives a year

An amazing drug could become the first class of antibiotics in 60 years that kills bacteria resistant to diseases like gonorrhea, meningitis and legionnaires.

Researchers at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland have discovered a new use for cannabis in its global fight to stop deadly superbugs.

Laboratory studies have shown that synthetic cannabidiol, the main non-psychoactive component of cannabis better known as CBD, can kill bacteria in diseases such as gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection.

Research has been considered a potential global medical breakthrough, amid predictions that drug-resistant infections could cause 10 million deaths a year by 2050 unless alternative treatment is found.

The research, recently published in the journal Communications Biology, is part of a collaboration between Queensland researchers and Botanix Pharmaceuticals, which led to the first new class of antibiotics for resistant bacteria in 60 years.

“This is the first time that CBD has been shown to kill some types of gram-negative bacteria. These bacteria have an additional outer membrane, an additional line of defense that makes it difficult for antibiotics to penetrate,” said Dr. Mark Blaskovich, director of the ‘Institute for Molecular Bioscience.

The researchers also found that cannabidiol is effective in killing the MRSA superbug found in golden bacteria.

It can also be used to treat ulcers and infected diabetic wounds.

Cannabidiol showed a low tendency to cause resistance to bacteria, even when we accelerated potential development by increasing antibiotic concentrations during “treatment,” Dr. Blaskovich added.

“We believe that cannabidiol kills bacteria by bursting its outer cell membranes, but we still don’t know exactly how it does it and we need to investigate further.”

Other trials of CBD formulations are now being conducted.

“We believe we can design a different version of CBD that may have some systemic activity,” Dr. Blaskovich told Courier Mail.

“We want something that doesn’t break down in the body as quickly as CBD does. There’s certainly the potential for CBD to be a prototypical representative of a new class of antibiotics.”

Botanix President Vince Ippolito described the Queensland investigation as a breakthrough.

“The published data clearly establishes the potential of synthetic cannabinoids as antimicrobials,” Ippolito said.

“Our company is ready to market viable antimicrobial treatments that we hope will reach more patients in the near future. This is a breakthrough that the world needs now.”

The pharmaceutical company will now develop a topical formulation of CBD for clinical trials.

“These phase 2 clinical outcomes are expected earlier this year and we hope this will pave the way for treatments for gonorrhea, meningitis and legionnaires’ disease, ”Dr. Blaskovich said.

“We have now established that cannabidiol is effective against these gram-negative bacteria. We are studying its mode of action, improving its activity, and finding other similar molecules to pave the way for a new class of antibiotics.”

Dr. Blaskovich estimates that it will take 10 to 15 years before it becomes an approved antibiotic if new trials are conducted.