PRIMARY STUDY

Fighting the storm: could novel anti-TNFα and anti-IL-6 C. sativa cultivars tame cytokine storm in COVID-19?

Key Findings:  Utilizing a human 3D skin artificial EpiDermFTTM tissue model this group of researchers tested the effects of 7 cannabis sativa extract containing various amounts of cannabinoids (THC, CBD, CBGA, CBN) as well as different terpene profiles (e.g. β-caryophyllene, linalool) on two major pro-inflammatory players in cytokine storm pathogenesis i.e. TNFα and IL-6. Resulting data revealed that out of 7 extracts tested 3 were most effective (2 were effective) 1 extracts had no effect and 1 other produced a negative effect in the down-regulating of pro-inflammatory genes coding for TNFα and IL-6. Extracts #4, #8 and #14 were most effective. Extract #12 produced a negative effect. Composition of each compound: Extract #4 contained a total of 33.6%THC, 1.72D, 0.32GA, 0.14N Extract #8 contained a total of 32.5%THC, 0.33D, 0.49GA, 0.05N (dominant in β-caryophyllene) Extract #14 contained a total of 44.3%THC, 1.1D, 0.23GA, 0.32N. Extract #12 contained a total of 43.2%THC, 1.8D, 0.92GA, 0.12N (dominant in linalool and guaiol).