The medicinal potential of Cannabis sativa extends well beyond the conditions most commonly associated with cannabinoid research. This review examines experimental evidence that cannabis extracts and cannabinoids may also have direct activity against parasites responsible for diseases including malaria, toxoplasmosis, Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, and other parasitic infections. Across laboratory and animal studies, researchers have repeatedly observed antiparasitic effects, while also finding that CB1 and CB2 receptor activity can influence parasite burden and host survival in complex, organism-specific ways. The findings suggest that cannabinoids deserve further investigation not only for their effects on the human endocannabinoid system, but also for their potential ability to act directly on biological targets within parasites themselves.
“Cannabis sativa (hemp, marijuana, ganja) is a plant with industrial, medicinal, and recreational uses that synthesizes phytocannabinoids, a group of compounds from which tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) outstand by their known high and low psychoactive properties.
These and other cannabinoids (endocannabinoids and synthetic derivatives with modulating effects over cannabinoid receptors CB1/2) have been tested in vitro using cultured parasites and in vivo in rodent models of protozoosis affecting the central nervous system as are amoebic encephalopathy, cerebral malaria, brain toxoplasmosis as well as Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis. Helminthiasis mainly includes Nippotrongyloidosis and Schistosomiasis and even their effects on ticks as Boophilus have been reported.
The parasiticidal effect of C. sativa extracts and cannabinoids is consistently found although some points of concern arise from animal models because CB1 or CB2 inactivation/inhibition led to distinct outcomes –beneficial or deleteriousin parasite load and host survival, depending on the organism studied. Possible parasitic targets of cannabinoids include arginase, acetylcholinestherase and haemozoin, a product of hemoglobin digestion.
Collectively, these data highlight that the potential use of cannabinoids against parasitic infections should consider the effects of these compounds on their known targets at the endocannabinoid system (CB1/2) and the likely target(s) in parasites.”
“Plant-derived compounds have multiple beneficial activities for human health, including new candidates for the treatment of parasitic diseases. Among these are macrocyclic lactones terpenes and polyphenols. Unlike most plant species, C. sativa (hemp, marijuana or ganja) is a rich source of both products of industrial interest and phytomedicinal compounds as well”
“At the light of experimental evidence, the potential application of cannabinoids in parasitosis is generally promising on the basis of their parasiticidal in vitro activities”
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