Cannabidiol will be tested against the effects of "long covid"
Au Brazil, scientists are in the third phase of research on CBD as a treatment for Covid-Long, this means that patients have symptoms of COVID-19 beyond 60 days. The effects of Covid-long can occur for months after infection including fatigue, headaches, muscle weakness and insomnia.
Brazilian scientists are preparing for phase three of the first human study on the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) in the treatment of post-covideal syndrome. This syndrome is qualified as such when certain symptoms persist more than 60 days after infection. Experts believe that CBD, one of the active components in cannabis, is effective in reducing the problems reported by patients.
These persistent symptoms are in part due to the body's exaggerated immune response to the virus. This reaction in turn leads to an imbalance in the production of the immune system's proteins, cytokines. CBD has already proven its effectiveness in the treatment of serious inflammatory diseases. The idea is to recruit a thousand volunteers for the study, which is expected to start in October this year.
"Some international studies have already demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effect of CBD, which can help control this "cytokine storm," says cardiologist Edimar Bocchi. He is part of the Heart Institute of the USP Faculty of Medicine, which will coordinate the new research in partnership with the Canadian company Verdemed, a producer of medicinal CBD. “Post-covidian syndrome causes a significant deterioration in the quality of life. These are symptoms that can persist beyond three months, such as fatigue, asthenia, fibromyalgia, shortness of breath, palpitations, body pain, memory impairment, sleep disturbances. "
The “covidy” caused by the coronavirus, Sars-Cov2, is initially respiratory, but it can become systemic. Then the virus can attack several organs. Usually the illness lasts only a few days. Nevertheless, according to international statistics, almost 20% of patients show symptoms two months after the onset of the disease. 10% of patients still have problems after eight months. In addition, Covid-longue often appears in patients who have had severe forms of the disease, however, this form has been observed in people who have not been hospitalized.
“In clinical practice, we are already familiar with this anti-inflammatory effect of CBD,” explains Dr Paula Dall'Stella, who is considered to be a pioneer in the medical prescription of cannabis in Brazil. “CBD is successful in inhibiting some of the same inflammatory pathways that covid eventually works. But it's not just in the physical context, but also mentally. In these cases, post-traumatic stress is common, with tachycardia, anxiety, recurring memories of what happened in the hospital. CBD helps these people live healthier lives, it helps the body to function properly. "
Verdemed has already filed a product registration request with Anvisa. She wants to sell it in Brazil. The company hopes to get the release by early 2022. After a long pandemic period, still quite intense in some parts of the world, the post-covirus is currently also a major challenge for doctors.
“Because part of the population is already expected to have serious after-effects,” says Edimar Bocchi. “We need the means to get these people out of suffering and improve their quality of life,” says the specialist.
