Hemp, and some of the cannabinoids found inside, are making big waves in the news this week! Of course, we’re already huge fans of hemp, CBD, Delta 8… all of it. But we always get excited when we see new peer-reviewed scientific research on the benefits of hemp. Science knocked it out of the park this week.
This particular study was performed at Oregon State University (OSU) and led by Richard van Breemen, a researcher with Oregon State’s Global Hemp Innovation Center, College of Pharmacy, and Linus Pauling Institute (aka, one wicked smart dude). During the course of their research, they discovered that a pair of cannabinoid acids bind to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, blocking a critical step in the process the virus uses to infect people. For those super science fans, you can read the full study here.
These two cannabinoids are CBDA (cannabidiolic acid) and CBGA (cannabigerolic acid). In an interview with OSU, Breeman stated “Any part of the infection and replication cycle is a potential target for antiviral intervention, and the connection of the spike protein’s receptor-binding domain to the human cell surface receptor ACE2 is a critical step in that cycle. That means cell entry inhibitors, like the acids from hemp, could be used to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and also to shorten infections by preventing virus particles from infecting human cells. They bind to the spike proteins so those proteins can’t bind to the ACE2 enzyme, which is abundant on the outer membrane of endothelial cells in the lungs and other organs.”
Basically, these cannabinoids show an affinity for the spike protein. And by binding to the spikes, the spikes are then unable to bind to our tissue. They observed this process using a mass-spectrometry method that was pioneered at their lab. What’s extra awesome is that this process not only is effective against the original virus, but its Alpha and Beta variants (B.1.1.7 and B.1.351) as well. Both CBDA and CBGA are orally bioavailable (meaning they can be absorbed when ingested or placed under the tongue) and have a long history of being safe to take in humans. And according to this study, they have the potential to prevent as well as treat infection by SARS-CoV-2.
CBDA is reputed to have a number of other benefits as well. For starters, it can be helpful in relieving pain and inflammation. Its anti-inflammatory benefits are due to the fact that it acts as a selective Cox-2 inhibitor (Cox-2 is an enzyme that causes inflammation). This awesome little cannabinoid is also said to help relieve the feelings of nausea, particularly when it’s a persistent sensation.
While these cannabinoids can be found in broad spectrum and full spectrum hemp extract, they can also be isolated from the other compounds in hemp. In fact, CBDA Isolate 1200mg is now available in our retail store! If you’re interested in wholesale or white label options, please shoot us an email.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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