A recent study published in Frontiers in Pharmacology made major headlines already this week, as it reveals that cannabis could help with lung inflammation and respiratory issues caused by conditions like COVID-19.
So far, this has only been tested on mice, but the viewed effects have been positive and incredibly encouraging. Respiratory issues are a common concern for folks worldwide, but even more so since the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the entire world and made folks extremely concerned about inflammation. Conditions like COVID-19 can cause ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome), which manifests in a shortness of breath and blue skin. Up to 50 percent of those with ARDS die each year, and it’s an even bigger concern this year. This is related to a phenomenon called a cytokine storm, a term many have been hearing in association with COVID-19.
Cytokine Storms and Cannabis
“In patients with respiratory disease, the lethal symptoms associated with ARDS usually follow a surge of signals in the lungs called a cytokine storm,” reports IFL Science. “Cytokines are small messengers released in the body and are important in the immune system when the body is under attack from infection. They can either be pro-inflammatory, where they tell the body to react to the site of infection with immune cells, or anti-inflammatory, where they slow the reaction down and stop immune cells damaging the area too much. In respiratory diseases, sometimes the immune system overreacts and releases too many pro-inflammatory cytokines, causing hyperinflammation and possible death. This is a cytokine storm.”
“In the current study, we investigated if THC would induce anti-inflammatory Tregs and MDSCs in mice exposed to SEB and if their induction was regulated by miR,” the study’s abstract explains. “Our data demonstrated that THC decreased the expression of two key miRs, let7a-5p and miR-34-5p which targeted the expression of several signaling molecules that targeted the induction or functions of Tregs and MDSCs.”
In layman’s terms, in order to look at how cannabis could impact inflammation, a research team at the University of South Carolina led by Amira Mohammed used THC to treat mice with ARDS symptoms to see how their inflammation would react. They noticed that by blocking the cytokines that cause inflammation and damage to the lungs, THC was actually protecting the mice against lethal symptoms from cytokine storms and improving their chances of survival. The THC slowed the inflammation and stopped any extreme damage from being caused by the storms.
While this study is huge for showing how THC could stop inflammation during our current COVID era, much more testing and many more clinical trials need to be done, and, of course, this has so far only been proven to work on mice. Still, this is a huge step for both cannabis and inflammatory research, as well as a major step forward for COVID research.
PLEASE HELP ME WITH MY DECISION
I have two options I need help deciding which one to choose, either to LIVE or choose Certain Death, My medical condition puts me in the position, to allow others to decide whether to I live or die, this is where I’m undecided what to do, will you help me in my decision, The Department of Veterans Affairs (Federal Government) and The State of Tennessee allows me to be treated with very powerful opiates, FENTANYL, is what the VA in the State of TN, will allow me to possess, control, or abuse that medication. With all parties including myself know I face certain death taking that medication. The Department of Veterans Affairs (federal government) along with state of Tennessee will not let me consume cannabis or provide me access to it, nor possess or control or abuse it, the only substance that will offer me a chance at a managed pain free life. So I’m asking for your help with my decision should I follow the law and take the medication that’s going to cause me certain death I break the law and have a chance at a pain free life, if anything help me make the decision for my children sake.
Hi Scotty, I am sorry to hear what you are going through. You should definitely use cannabis if it will help your condition and not follow the law because the law isn’t always for our best interests. Pharmaceutical companies and politicians are after money and is the main reason you are directed to use their medications, even though there are safer alternatives available. You should critically think for yourself and do what is best for your health and pain. As speaking from someone from a legal state (IL) I felt like a criminal for way too long for using cannabis even though it helped me in so many ways, anxiety, depression, pain, etc. And now that is it legal, I almost felt like it was a joke for me to feel that way when it clearly was helping me.
Have you ever used Kratom? It’s all-natural pain reliever and it’s still legal and easy to get online. Google it and do some research if you haven’t tried it before. It has sure helped me manage pain.
Dope!🦠🦾👍
Use cannabis, of course! It’s the best medicine, and you are the person who knows best what is right for your body, no matter what you have been told. Be aware that it is also a sacred medicine, with the potential to release ptsd, which may even be behind your medical condition. I am a cancer survivor who uses cannabis because I love it. According to medical statistics, I should be dead. Life is better!
I do not believe in this. I believe it is a allergy of plant like peanut allergy. I wish people stop giving this bs attention its fake news and ive talked to many dr invalidating it completely.
https://medibuds.co/