UofL researchers part of study to determine whether CBD can help prevent COVID-19

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Studies suggest CBD could be used to help prevent COVID-19.

Researchers at the University of Louisville and the University of Chicago want to use human clinical trials to test the theory and "determine whether CBD could eventually be used as a preventative or early treatment for COVID-19," according to a news release.

A new study, published Jan. 20 in "Science Advances," shows a formula of cannabidiol (CBD) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration can prevent a coronavirus infection in human cells and in mice.

Researchers first treated human lung cells with a non-toxic dose of CBD for two hours before exposing the cells to the coronavirus.

Researchers found that CBD blocked the virus' ability to replicate. They also found it had "the same effect in two other types of cells and for three variants of SARS-CoV-2 in addition to the original strain," according to a news release.

"CBD did not affect the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to enter the cell," researchers said. "Instead, CBD was effective at blocking replication early in the infection cycle and six hours after the virus had already infected the cell."

But, researchers are warning that only a specific, high purity formulated dose of CBD works to block the virus.

"The study's findings do not suggest that consuming commercially available products with CBD additives that vary in potency and quantity can prevent COVID-19," researchers said in a news release.

According to Kenneth Palmer with the University of Louisville, the CBD researchers looked at a pharmaceutical-grade formulation used for treating epilepsy that requires a prescription. More research is needed to "determine the precise dosing" of CBD that would be effective in preventing COVID-19 infection in humans, "as well as its safety profile and any potential side effects," researchers said.

Palmer said in order to do a human clinical trial, funding would need to be secured and applications would need to be submitted to organizations such as the FDA to get approval.

If approved, Palmer is hopeful Louisville could be a site for the trial.

"Kentucky has a focus on hemp agriculture and I think it's a nice way to highlight the contribution that hemp agriculture might have on generating a product that could be useful for COVID treatment," he said.