Cannabidiol and Terpene Formulation Reducing SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity Tackling a Therapeutic Strategy

Susana Santos, Pedro Barata, Adilia Charmier, Inês Lehmann, Suzilaine Rodrigues, Matteo M. Melosini, Patrick J. Pais, André P. Sousa, Catarina Teixeira, Inês Santos, Ana Catarina Rocha, Pilar Baylina, Ruben Fernandes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In late 2019, COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China. Currently, it is an ongoing global health threat stressing the need for therapeutic compounds. Linking the virus life cycle and its interaction with cell receptors and internal cellular machinery is key to developing therapies based on the control of infectivity and inflammation. In this framework, we evaluate the combination of cannabidiol (CBD), as an anti-inflammatory molecule, and terpenes, by their anti-microbiological properties, in reducing SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. Our group settled six formulations combining CBD and terpenes purified from Cannabis sativa L, Origanum vulgare, and Thymus mastichina. The formulations were analyzed by HPLC and GC-MS and evaluated for virucide and antiviral potential by in vitro studies in alveolar basal epithelial, colon, kidney, and keratinocyte human cell lines. Conclusions and Impact: We demonstrate the virucide effectiveness of CBD and terpene-based formulations. F2TC reduces the infectivity by 17%, 24%, and 99% for CaCo-2, HaCat, and A549, respectively, and F1TC by 43%, 37%, and 29% for Hek293T, HaCaT, and Caco-2, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first approach that tackles the combination of CBD with a specific group of terpenes against SARS-CoV-2 in different cell lines. The differential effectiveness of formulations according to the cell line can be relevant to understanding the pattern of virus infectivity and the host inflammation response, and lead to new therapeutic strategies.

Original languageEnglish
Article number841459
JournalFrontiers in Immunology
Volume13
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Feb 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Santos, Barata, Charmier, Lehmann, Rodrigues, Melosini, Pais, Sousa, Teixeira, Santos, Rocha, Baylina and Fernandes.

Keywords

  • CBD - cannabidiol
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • endocannabinoid system (ECS)
  • essential oil (EO)
  • formulations
  • terpenes
  • therapeutics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Cannabidiol and Terpene Formulation Reducing SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity Tackling a Therapeutic Strategy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this