Cannabidiol Treatment for Severe and Critical Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pulmonary Infection
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2022-04-30
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Current management of COVID-19 (coronavirus) is mainly supportive, and respiratory failure
from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the leading cause of mortality. Cytokines
and chemokines are thought to play an important role in immunity and immunopathology during
virus infections. Patients with severe COVID-19 have higher serum levels of pro-inflammatory
cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-6) and chemokines (IL-8) compared to individuals with mild
disease or healthy controls, similar to patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome
(SARS).
Cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychotropic ingredient of Cannabis sativa, possesses potent
anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. These effects are mediated by T cell
attrition and by inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine release (tumor necrosis factor-a,
Interferon gamma, IL-1b, IL-6, and IL-17) and stimulation of anti-inflammatory cytokine
production (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13). In a number of phase 2 trials involving more than
100 patients, our group was able to show the safety and efficacy of CBD in the prevention and
treatment of graft-versus-host disease.
Based on these data, we will test the cytokine profile, safety and efficacy of CBD treatment
in patients with severe and critical COVID-19 infection.