Cannabis a superbug slaying antibiotic? McMaster researchers break new ground

Could cannabis be an antibiotic capable of fighting drug-resistant superbugs?

Possibly.

New research from McMaster University in Hamilton, ON, tested over 18 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant and found that cannabigerol (CBG) "was the strongest bacteria fighter." CBG has the ability to "fight the superbug known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA),” an aggressive and potentially deadly bacteria. 

Everyone knows about CBD, but their research showed that CBD was more potent: "It turns out it's active against the membrane of bacteria; it kills antibiotic resistant bacteria, and can really go after MRSA."

This specific cannabinoid "packed enough toxicity that it could destroy red blood cells and not just virulent bacteria," said Dr. Eric Brown, lead author of the study. 

As the body of evidence grows around the other 100+ cannabinoids, it is an exciting time to be in the field of cannabinoid medicine and we will likely find many new medical applications as we undertake more research.

Full article available here.

Reflections on Australia Visit: Canada and Australia Have More in Common Than You May Think

Did you know that Canada is the largest per capita consumer of prescription opioids? We are closely followed by the USA, which is no big surprise, but the countries rounding out the top 5 may be surprising: Denmark, Australia and Switzerland.

Unfortunately, we have a lot more in common with our Australian compatriots than having the Queen on our money: they too are facing an opioid crisis with opioid-related deaths up 114% since 2006.

Encouragingly, the Australian Government appears to be taking steps to explore reasonable opioid-alternatives and recently announced a $3 million research grant to investigate the use of cannabinoids to help cancer patients. Building on this momentum, I was excited to be invited to Australia for two weeks, where I met with pain, cancer, addiction and geriatric specialists, as well as primary care physicians, pharmacists and nurses in Sydney and Melbourne. Together we shared learnings and best practice and I provided in-depth training in cannabinoid-based medicine to help increase understanding amongst the Australian medical community.

Sharing my experiences with other practitioners, so that more patients can benefit, is one of the best parts of my job. I’m proud to be playing a small role in the evolution of medical cannabis in another part of the world and can’t wait to get back there and see how everyone’s making out.

The Dangers of Unregulated CBD

You’ve heard me say it before and I will say it again: If you have a condition that could benefit from medical cannabis, please speak to your physician…and most importantly, stay away from illegal cannabis and unregulated CBD products.

In less than six years CBD has gone from virtually unknown, to part of the common dialogue heard every day.

In CNN’s latest special investigation, “Weed 5,” Dr. Sanjay Gupta said: "It is really discouraging to see the results of a recent study in the medical journal JAMA where researchers analyzed 84 CBD products from 31 companies and found 69% were mislabeled. Some of the products had no CBD at all, some had too much CBD, some too much THC."

"Other studies showed that some CBD products contained dangerous synthetics that have been responsible for outbreaks of illness all over the country."

This is just one of the many reasons it is essential that you do not self-medicate and why it is so important to see a licensed practitioner and obtain regulated products.

In Canada, we are fortunate that both the (legal) recreational and medical cannabis streams are tightly regulated to ensure that all products are safe and free from harmful substances. Despite this, there are still products that are sold out of local corner stores, gas stations and of course, the internet, that are not regulated. At best these are a waste of your money and couldn’t possibly offer any health benefit. At worse, they could be potentially harmful, especially if combined with other medications.

If you missed the CNN special on Sunday night, check out this very insightful article from Dr. Sanjay Gupta himself.