Another use for Marijuana
Some interesting chemical activity in the Cannabinoids - they are antibacterial.
The original paper:
Antibacterial Cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa: A Structure−Activity Study
A news item for the non-chemically inclined:
Killing bacteria with cannabis
From the Ars Technica news item:
Killing bacteria with cannabis
Pharmacists and chemists have found another use for the multipurpose cannabis as a source of antibacterial chemicals for multidrug resistant bacteria. Ironically, inhaling cannabis is known to damage the lung's ability to fend off invading pathogens, but the ingredients in cannabis, particularly the cannabinoids, have antiseptic properties. Although scattered research has been conducted since the 1950s, no comprehensive study existed that relates the structure of cannabinoids with antibacterial activity. Giovanni Appendino, Simon Gibbons, and coworkers attempted to remedy that problem by examining the activity of five common cannabinoids and their synthetic derivatives.
All five cannabinoids (THC, CBD, CBG, CBC, and CBN) were potent against bacteria. Notably, they performed well against bacteria that were known to be multidrug resistant, like the strains of MRSA that plagued U.K. hospitals. CBD and CBG have the most potential for consumer use because they are nonpsychotropic.
Fascinating -- the paper said that in the USA, there were more deaths per year from MRSA than from AIDS. I have had it and I know another person who had it. Nasty stuff!
Posted by DaveH at August 27, 2008 9:31 PM