Exciting findings on CBD's medical effectiveness emerged that year, including its potential to reduce opioid cravings and treat epilepsy. An Australian study found antibiotic potential, demonstrated in mice with skin infections.
The University of Queensland Institute for Molecular Bioscience's Centre for Superbug Solutions found CBD acted against Gram-positive strains, including staph and strep. Promisingly, it was also effective against bacteria resistant to other antibiotics.
Before celebrating, however, doctors need to understand what is happening. Senior research chemist and study leader Mark Blaskovich said more work was needed to demonstrate usefulness against human infections. Researchers still did not know how it worked. Activity against antibiotic-resistant bacteria might suggest a unique mechanism, but it remained unidentified. He added that further research must demonstrate effectiveness against systemic or complex tissue infections before CBD could be considered a truly useful antibiotic.
Two studies published in May highlighted other potential medical uses. UC Davis's chemistry department found positive effects from plant-derived and synthetic CBD in laboratory mice with seizures. The compounds reduced symptom frequency and severity in that study.
The American Journal of Psychiatry published research showing prescription CBD medicine Epidiolex reduced cravings and withdrawal symptoms in people recovering from opioid dependence. Several US states included opioid dependence as a qualifying medical cannabis condition. The previous year, Illinois's Senate took such legislative action. Illinois Medical Cannabis Alliance communications director Rebecca Mason said dispensaries saw firsthand the difference it could make for patients.
Earlier that month, the FDA held its first CBD regulation hearing as part of clarifying its position. It had approved Epidiolex for severe epilepsy in 2018.
When could CBD be used as an antibiotic?
The Australian results were presented at the American Society for Microbiology's annual conference. Asked what people ready to replace antibiotic prescriptions with CBD should do, Blaskovich advised patience.
He said most findings came from test tubes and that much more work was required to demonstrate usefulness in human infections. Trying to treat a serious infection with cannabidiol instead of established, tested antibiotics would be extremely dangerous.
