Cannabis Could be the Answer to Drug-Resistant Superbugs

Could a cannabis compound be the latest weapon in the fight against drug resistant bacteria? According to a post in the Guardian, that could be the case. Scientists have tested cannabis compounds on mice with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus), and one appears to have cured them of the superbug. MRSA is one of the most common superbugs found in hospitals and combating it has been a challenge.

The compound found to be effective in killing MRSA was cannabigerol (CBG), a non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. Until now, vancomycin has been considered the last line of defense in fighting the common hospital superbug, but CBG proved to be as effective. It will likely be some time before CBG is used as a treatment in humans though. As quoted in the article Eric Brown, the leader of the study, says, “There is much work to do to explore the potential of the cannabinoids as antibiotics from the safety standpoint.”