Explore Our Affordable Courses

Click Here

Cannabis Plant’s THCBD Compound and Its Antibiotic Properties

Context:  

Scientists at CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu, have found that phytocannabinoids, a class of compounds found in the cannabis plant, possess some hitherto unexplored antibiotic properties. 

THCBD and Its Antibiotic Properties

  • In the new study, published in the journal ACS Infectious Diseases revealed, the antibacterial properties of tetrahydrocannabinol (THCBD), a semisynthetic phytocannabinoid, against Staphylococcus aureus, the bacteria responsible for the second most number of deaths due to AMR.

THCBD

  • According to a senior principal scientist at the CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune, bacteria have developed certain sophisticated ‘shields’ over many decades to resist the effects of antibiotic medications.
    • These include the formation of biofilms – thin sheets of bacterial colonies that are more resistant to antibiotics than when separated – and cellular mechanisms called efflux pumps that flush drugs out from cells.
  • The resulting AMR increases the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.

About Cannabis Sativa

  • It is an herbaceous plant that belongs to the family Cannabinaceae.
  • It has been used by humans for over 5,000 years for medicinal and recreational uses, firstly in Central and Northeast Asia and subsequently spreading worldwide.
  • Cannabis, or marijuana, is undoubtedly one of the most widely used illicit drugs.
  • It has a complex chemical composition that includes cannabinoids which are a group of secondary metabolites, several of which are responsible for the psychotropic effects.

What is India’s AMR burden?

  • AMR Capital of the World: According to one estimate, India reported 2.97 lakh deaths in 2019 that could be attributed to AMR and 10.42 lakh others that could be associated with AMR.
  • Reasons:  
    • Overuse of antibiotics in India (Due to Over-the-counter sales).
    • Misuse in animal husbandry
    • Poor Biowaste disposal management.
About Antibiotics:

  • These are chemical compounds isolated from one microorganism and used to kill another. 
  • Since their discovery, they have saved millions of lives but are falling short against AMR bacteria.

Need for Alternative Solutions

  • Numerous antibiotics exist for S. aureus, the emergence of the MRSA strain necessitates alternative solutions.
  • S. aureus includes a strain known as MRSA, for methicillin-resistant S. aureus, resistant to the last line of antibiotics called methicillin.’’

How is THCBD made?

  • The prefix ‘phyto’ in phytocannabinoid means it comes from a plant.
  • Cannabinoids are a class of compounds found in the cannabis plant.  Cannabinoids bind to receptors in the bodies of animals to produce a variety of neurological effects.
  • The researchers extracted cannabidiol from a cannabis plant and made it react with hydrogen, using palladium as a catalyst. 
  • This process yielded a mixture of molecules with the same composition and order of atoms but different structures. One of them was THCBD.

What Were THCBD’s Effects?

  • Researchers tested THCBD against bacterial cultures in the lab and found THCBD “demonstrated strong effectiveness” against efflux pump overexpression and MRSA strains.
  • The minimum quantity found to be efficacious against a strain of Gram-positive S. aureus used commonly in AMR research was 0.25 μg/ml, which the researchers called “potent”.
  • It “significantly reduced” the number of viable microbial cells of S. aureus skin infections in mice.
  • They also found that the compound either complemented or was indifferent to the effects of other common antibiotics like mupirocin, penicillin G, and ciprofloxacin.

Significance of Study

  • It will help the development of new therapeutics against AMR.
  • It can be a good preclinical candidate, which needs further fine-tuning as far as its drug likeness is concerned

Challenges

  • Collaboration and Coordination: THCBD comes from cannabis, which is notorious for its intoxicating properties.
What is the Solubility Challenge?

  • It is an important consideration for a drug. It  must dissolve in an aqueous solution. If it doesn’t dissolve properly, the body won’t be able to absorb it as intended.
  • The properties of the solvent influence the solubility of a drug.
  • For example, a molecule can be too hydrophilic (water-loving) or lipophilic (fat-loving).
  • In a biological system, the cytoplasm – which fills the inside of a cell – is a gelatinous liquid and the cell’s wall is primarily composed of lipids. 
  • A drug molecule in this milieu should be neither hydrophilic nor lipophilic but in between. 
    • As a result, it hasn’t been easy to collaborate on phytocannabinoid research with other institutes.
  • Legal Constraints:  There is a need to adhere to specific regulations when studying this plant.
    • For example, Section 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 restricts the use of cannabis and doesn’t make exceptions for research.
  • Lack of  Approval to Conduct Research: Many universities lack approval to research the plant, and efforts are underway to secure government authorisation.
  • The solubility challenge of THCBD: THCBD “leans slightly towards lipophilicity”, achieving a “drug-like” balance is crucial for it to be appropriately soluble.

Way Forward: What next for THCBD?

  • Collaborations to speed up drug development progress: Faster approval and dispersal of funds.
  • Unified National Policy: Establishing a framework  for cannabis research and transportation agreement 
  • Conducting a comprehensive safety profile assessment for THCB to  use as a drug.

Conclusion

Highlighting the anti-bacterial nature of cannabis, the project will go a long way towards circumventing the taboo around it and transforming it into a valuable resource. 

  • The researchers’ work on cannabis will “yield significant contributions to the healthcare system,” “but will also directly benefit J&K by establishing related industries that will create a sustainable demand for jobs.”
Also Read: New Class Of Antibiotic Against A Drug-Resistant Bacterium

 

Must Read
NCERT Notes For UPSC UPSC Daily Current Affairs
UPSC Blogs UPSC Daily Editorials
Daily Current Affairs Quiz Daily Main Answer Writing
UPSC Mains Previous Year Papers UPSC Test Series 2024

 

To get PDF version, Please click on "Print PDF" button.

Need help preparing for UPSC or State PSCs?

Connect with our experts to get free counselling & start preparing

Download October 2024 Current Affairs.   Srijan 2025 Program (Prelims+Mains) !     Current Affairs Plus By Sumit Sir   UPSC Prelims2025 Test Series.    IDMP – Self Study Program 2025.

 

THE MOST
LEARNING PLATFORM

Learn From India's Best Faculty

      

Download October 2024 Current Affairs.   Srijan 2025 Program (Prelims+Mains) !     Current Affairs Plus By Sumit Sir   UPSC Prelims2025 Test Series.    IDMP – Self Study Program 2025.

 

Quick Revise Now !
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD SOON
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध
Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

<div class="new-fform">







    </div>

    Subscribe our Newsletter
    Sign up now for our exclusive newsletter and be the first to know about our latest Initiatives, Quality Content, and much more.
    *Promise! We won't spam you.
    Yes! I want to Subscribe.