Cannabis the Antibiotic
Cannabis has long been known to be antibacterial. Used throughout history, in many parts of the world, the cannabis plant has evolved with humans and our diseases.
Everyday, thousands of people are sick and dying from diseases and ailments that can be helped, supported, or even CURED by cannabis. The good news is, we are finally doing something about it.
Educating everybody about using cannabis as alternative therapy, weening off of the prescription drugs, and resorting to a plant we can grow is the best way we can all help ourselves and those we love and care for.
If your looking for evidence, you came to the right place!
Here is a closer look at the scientific evidence of HOW cannabis acts like an antibiotic.
Soon after psychoactive THC was first isolated, researchers stumbled upon the chemical’s antibacterial effects. A paper published in 1976 found that a dose as small as 1-5 micrograms per milliliter of THC successfully killed streptococci and staphylococci two bacteria that cause strep through and the much-feared staph infection.
Though, the effective concentration jumped to 50 micrograms when tested in blood. Interestingly, the study found that gram-negative bacteria like E. coli and helicobacter pylori, which causes stomach ulcer, were resistant to isolated THC.
In a more recent study published in 2012, a full extract taken from cannabis seed and plants showed a moderate effectiveness against E. coli and a high effectiveness against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a gram-negative bacteria that can cause respiratory, skin, and urinary tract infections.
The full extract also was highly effective against Bacillus subtilis, a pathogen that causes food poisoning.
In 2008, researchers Giovanni Appendino and Simon Gibbons treated MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) with different cannabinoids in the lab. MRSA is a very difficult to treat infection in humans since the pathogenic staphylococcus bacteria is no longer killed by antibiotics.
They found that CBN was one of the five cannabinoids common cannabinoids that were effective against MRSA, the others included THC, CBD, CBC, and CBG.
The Roles of Different Compounds found in Cannabis
Back in 1981, scientists discovered that CBC had strong antibacterial properties and mild antifungal properties against common bugs like E. coli and Candida albicans.
A year later, researchers again showed that CBC demonstrated strong antifungal and antibacterial properties in the laboratory.
Research Proves that Cannabis is an Antibiotic
Antibacterial cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa: a structure-activity study.
Marijuana (Cannabis sativa) has long been known to contain antibacterial cannabinoids, whose potential to address antibiotic resistance has not yet been investigated. All five major cannabinoids (cannabidiol (1b), cannabichromene (2), cannabigerol (3b), Delta (9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (4b), and cannabinol (5)) showed potent activity against a variety of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains of current clinical relevance. Activity was remarkably tolerant to the nature of the prenyl moiety, to its relative position compared to the n-pentyl moiety (abnormal cannabinoids), and to carboxylation of the resorcinyl moiety (pre-cannabinoids). Conversely, methylation and acetylation of the phenolic hydroxyls, esterification of the carboxylic group of pre-cannabinoids, and introduction of a second prenyl moiety were all detrimental for antibacterial activity. Taken together, these observations suggest that the prenyl moiety of cannabinoids serves mainly as a modulator of lipid affinity for the olivetol core, a per se poorly active antibacterial pharmacophore, while their high potency definitely suggests a specific, but yet elusive, mechanism of activity.
Antibacterial activity of THC and cannabidiol.
The minimum inhibiting concentrations (MIC) of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) for staphylococci and streptococci in broth are in the range of 1-5 mug/ml. In the same range, both compounds are also bactericidal. In media containing 4% serum or 5% blood the antibacterial activity is strongly reduced (MIC 50 mug/ml). Gram-negative bacteria are resistant to THC and CBD.
Using Cannabis as an Antibiotic
It is recommended to find a trusted Medical Marijuana Doctor who is able to look at each individuals symptoms and disease in order to treat properly.
There are many different ways to use cannabis as medicine. You could smoke, or vape.
A cannabis medicine with a high THC ratio (that is smoked or vaped) may cause some users (who are not THC tolerant) unwanted side effects. Please take caution. There are ways to get THC without unwanted effects by the user.
You could also use Cannabis Oil to consume either under your tongue, in your coffee, tea, or food, or rub the oil on the affected area if it is on the skin. Also you can use other topicals such as cream, oil, or a transdermal patch.
CBD and the other components of cannabis do not produce a psychoactive effect. Also, if THC is applied to the skin in small doses and not ingested it does not give a psychoactive effect.
THC can be consumed in very small amounts, such as micro-dosing, and the user wouldn't feel too much of a high.
THC inhaled, ingested, or taken in large doses will create a psychoactive effect. If you are not THC tolerant and you do not like to take it, it is recommended to find a cannabis medicine that has a higher CBD in the ratio. (ex:20:1)
There are many stories online from patients who personally had a disease that was incurable with prescription antibiotics and they started using cannabis.
They share their stories and their recipes.
After nine years of suffering from Lyme disease, Shelley White has a new lease on life due to cannabis oil. A story of personal healing that is also strongly grounded in scientific research; the book begins with an overview of the antibacterial properties of cannabis. Then, it looks at evidence supporting the plant’s ability to alleviate every symptom of the disease — from nerve pain and seizures to memory loss and depression.
Finally, Shelly shares her recipe for homemade cannabis infused coconut and olive oils, which can be made on the stovetop in under a half an hour by anyone with basic cooking skills. The trick is in not heating it over the boiling point to extract as much of the healing properties as possible.
A Medicine For The Masses
It turns out that Shelley’s simple oil extract is possibly the most potent form of marijuana medicine on earth. Olive oil is actually the “optimal choice for preparation of Cannabis oils for self-medication,” states Biologist Dr. Arno Hazekamp of Leiden University in Holland in a 2013 study entitled Cannabis Oil: chemical evaluation of an upcoming cannabis-based medicine.
"Cannabinoids are substances unique to the cannabis plant that have wide-ranging medicinal properties:
they fight cancer, reverse inflammation and act as powerful antioxidants.
Now we know that they are also some of the most powerful antibiotics on earth."
Resources:
https://www.projectcbd.org/condition/9/Antibiotic-Resistance
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18681481
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1085130
http://herb.co/2017/04/09/cannabis-antibiotic/
http://reset.me/story/marijuana-the-super-antibiotic-of-the-future/
http://www.lymebook.com/cannabis-for-lyme-shelley-white-medical-marijuana
