Title:Cannabinoids Receptors in COVID-19: Perpetrators and Victims
Volume: 30
Issue: 34
Author(s): Hayder M. Al-Kuraishy, Ali I. Al-Gareeb, Athanasios Alexiou*Gaber El-Saber Batiha
Affiliation:
- Department of Science and Engineering, Novel Global Community Educational Foundation,
Hebersham, Australia
- AFNP Med Austria, Wien, Austria
Keywords:
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, acute lung injury, cannabinoids, acute respiratory distress syndrome, anti-inflammatory effects.
Abstract: COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2 and leads to acute lung injury (ALI),
acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and extrapulmonary manifestations in
severely affected cases. However, most of the affected cases are mild or asymptomatic.
Cannabinoids (CBs) such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), which
act on G-protein-coupled receptors called CB1 and CB2, have anti-inflammatory effects.
Many published studies show that CBs are effective in various inflammatory disorders,
viral infections, and attenuation of ALI and ARDS. Therefore, the present narrative review
aimed to summarize the possible immunological role of CBs in COVID-19. The effects
of CBs are controversial, although they have beneficial effects via CB2 receptors
and adverse effects via CB1 receptors against ALI, ARDS, and hyperinflammation,
which are hallmarks of COVID-19. The present narrative review has shown that CBs effectively
manage ALI and ARDS by suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are
common in COVID-19. Therefore, CBs may be used to manage COVID-19 because of
their potent anti-inflammatory effects, suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibiting
inflammatory signaling pathways.
