Recent research has confirmed that cannabis can act as an antibacterial agent. Research conducted by scientists in Italy and the United Kingdom shows that cannabinoids found in cannabis can fight bacteria, even those that are resistant to synthetic anti-bacterial agents.
Though scientists were already aware that cannabis cures skin infections, they were unaware of the exact compounds that produced these results. The new studies have isolated the cannabinoids responsible for fighting of the bugs and superbugs.
In fact, all the five known cannabinoids were effective against various strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). As the cannabinoids kill bacteria by a different method than that used by synthetic anti-bacterial agents, the bacteria are less likely to develop resistance to these cannabinoids.
In fact two of the cannabinoids tested do not have mood altering effects. Therefore, they can safely be used to produce anti-bacterial drugs. The researchers have suggested that the nonpsychotropic cannabinoids be used in anti-bacterial drugs. However, even the psychotropic cannabinoids have great anti-bacterial properties and can be used to kill a variety of germs.
Cannabis, in fact, will make a great sanitizer and disinfectant. This means that cannabinoids can be used in cosmetics and soaps in place of synthetic anti-bacterial agents. This will help prevent microbes from colonizing the skin.
Hospital-based infections too can be controlled using cannabinoids as they kill superbugs.
These are only some of the many potential used of cannabis in treating the ill and keeping healthy people uninfected.
Cannabis that grows in intense sun produces more resin that has anti-bacterial properties.
More research needs to be conducted to find out exactly how cannabinoids kill these super bugs. The mechanism of the killing action needs to be investigated. This will perhaps be the topic for another study on the effect of cannabis on bacteria.
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Tags: antibacterial agent, Cannabis, Marijuana
