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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

 

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 Final Result – CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION, 2023.   Udaan-Prelims Wallah ( Static ) booklets 2024 released both in english and hindi : Download from Here!     Download UPSC Mains 2023 Question Papers PDF  Free Initiative links -1) Download Prahaar 3.0 for Mains Current Affairs PDF both in English and Hindi 2) Daily Main Answer Writing  , 3) Daily Current Affairs , Editorial Analysis and quiz ,  4) PDF Downloads  UPSC Prelims 2023 Trend Analysis cut-off and answer key

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 Final Result – CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION, 2023.   Udaan-Prelims Wallah ( Static ) booklets 2024 released both in english and hindi : Download from Here!     Download UPSC Mains 2023 Question Papers PDF  Free Initiative links -1) Download Prahaar 3.0 for Mains Current Affairs PDF both in English and Hindi 2) Daily Main Answer Writing  , 3) Daily Current Affairs , Editorial Analysis and quiz ,  4) PDF Downloads  UPSC Prelims 2023 Trend Analysis cut-off and answer key

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

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