“In the scenario of fighting bacterial resistance to antibiotics, natural products have been extensively investigated for their potential antibacterial activities. Among these, cannabinoids-bioactive compounds derived from cannabis-have garnered attention for their diverse biological activities, including anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties.

Emerging evidence suggests that cannabinoids may also possess significant antimicrobial properties, with potential applications in enhancing the efficacy of conventional antimicrobial agents. Therefore, this review examines evidence from the past five years on the antimicrobial properties of cannabinoids, focusing on underlying mechanisms such as microbial membrane disruption, immune response modulation, and interference with microbial virulence factors. In addition, their synergistic potential, when used alongside standard therapies, underscores their promise as a novel strategy to address drug resistance, although further research and clinical trials are needed to validate their therapeutic use.

Overall, cannabinoids offer a promising avenue for the development of innovative treatments to combat drug-resistant infections and reduce the reliance on traditional antimicrobial agents.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40005695/

“The unique chemical properties of cannabinoids, combined with their interactions with existing therapies, contribute to their antimicrobial effects against a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses.The data collected support the conclusion that cannabinoids exert their effects through multiple pathways, including the disruption of microbial membranes, modulation of immune responses, and interference with microbial virulence factors.

The use of cannabinoids as alternative therapeutic options has demonstrated their potential to overcome the limitations of conventional antibiotics, offering a potential new approach to combating drug-resistant microorganisms, potentially reducing dependence on traditional antimicrobial agents that have become less effective. It also appears that the use of combinations of cannabinoids with other conventional drugs can potentially lead to a synergistic effect with improved therapeutic capabilities.”

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/2/325

“Cannabidiol (CBD), the primary non-psychoactive cannabinoid isolated from cannabis, exhibits promising antibacterial effects. However, the antibacterial mechanism of CBD remains poorly understood.

In this study, the mechanism was investigated using bacterial inhibition assays, label-free proteomics, and untargeted metabolomics, with Bacillus licheniformis (B. licheniformis), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) selected as representative Gram-positive bacteria.

The results revealed that CBD caused significant damage to bacterial cell walls and membranes, leading to notable changes in proteomic and metabolic profiles. Specifically, 437, 120, and 195 proteins, as well as 52, 153, and 94 metabolites, were differentially expressed in B. licheniformis, S. aureus, and E. faecium, respectively.

The antimicrobial mechanism of CBD shares similarities with previously known antibacterial agents, such as penicillin and cephalosporins, particularly in affecting the bacterial cell wall, but differs in its detailed mode of action. CBD disrupted the biosynthesis of primary and secondary metabolites and altered bacterial metabolism, contributing to its antibacterial activity.

This study provides valuable insights into the antibacterial mechanism of CBD, supporting its potential development as an antibiotic alternative and its application in food safety.

SIGNIFICANCE: It is crucial to find alternatives to antibiotics to mitigate the impact of pathogenic bacteria on food safety and reduce the use of antibiotics. CBD is the primary non-psychoactive cannabinoid derived from cannabis, and it has shown promising antibacterial effects. However, the antimicrobial mechanisms of CBD have not been well elucidated. This study provides a deep understanding of the antibacterial mechanism from the cellular to molecular level, which will contribute to the development of CBD as a novel antibacterial agent.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39978755/

“CBD is a promising antibacterial agent for Gram-positive bacteria.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1874391925000387?via%3Dihub

“Plants, especially those recognized for their medicinal properties, are an excellent source of bioactive components and are attracting considerable interest in the food industry due to their natural bioactivity.

In this context, hemp species (Cannabis sativa spp.) were investigated for such applications because of their well-documented antibacterial and antioxidant activities. However, the bioactive efficacy of varieties being introduced in Northern Alabama and their implications for food safety have not been studied.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial and antioxidative potential of four hemp varieties grown at the Alabama A&M University, Winfred Thomas Agricultural Research Station in Northern Alabama using three different extraction solvents (deionized water, acetone, and ethanol).

Antioxidant potential was evaluated by DPPH free radical scavenging activity (2, 2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl), Total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Antibacterial activity against cocktails of enteric pathogens, including Listeria monocytogenese, E. coli O157:H7, and Salmonella enterica was evaluated for optical density using a BioScreen-C microtiter. Also, the disc diffusion extraction yield was evaluated to determine the best extraction solvent. Data were expressed as mean ± standard error (n = 3) and ANOVA (P ≤ 0.05).

The ethanolic extracts exhibited the the highest extraction yield at 25.29 ± 0.70% (RE), while the antioxidant result demonstrated that the ethanolic extracts had the highest DPPH free radical scavenging activity at 64.03 ± 0.26% (RE).

The results of the antibacterial studies showed that ethanolic hemp extracts exhibited significantly higher growth inhibition against all foodborne pathogens > 70% (p ≤ 0.05).

The results show that the ethanolic extracts has significant extraction yield and bioactivity, highlighting ethanolic extract utilization in future antimicrobial nanofiber application.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39891281/

“Hemp (Cannabis sativa). Cannabis sativa has been used for thousands of years to prevent disease in humans.”

“In various reports, hemp has been shown to contain phytochemical compounds (such as phenolics, flavonoids, and terpenophenolics) that effectively inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and scavenge free radicals.

Hemp has been used in traditional medicine as a therapeutic agent with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and chemopreventive properties that can cure many ailments.

The ability of the hemp ethanolic extracts to scavenge the DPPH free radical indicates that they may have antioxidant properties. The inhibition of EC, SE, and LM in disc diffusion and growth inhibition assays by ethanolic hemp extracts suggests growth inhibitory effects of the extract, and pinpoints ethanol as the most effective extraction solvent for maceration extraction of northern Alabama varieties.

The obtained results support the idea that hemp grown in northern Alabama can be used as a plant-based natural preservative because of its antibacterial and antioxidant potential in food preservation. Future research is required to study quantitative antibacterial and antioxidant activities, mechanisms of antibacterial action, phytochemical profiles through analytical chromatography, and applications of hemp ethanol extract in nanotechnology.”

https://jcannabisresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42238-025-00258-y

“This review focuses on antimicrobial packaging for food safety, critically examining the activity and efficacy of cannabinoids against commonly found microorganisms and exploring their antimicrobial mechanisms.

Specifically, the review considers cannabinoids derived from industrial hemp plants, which are characterized by low levels of psychoactive components. It also outlines viable strategies to control the sustained release of cannabinoids from the packaging, enabling extended storage and enhanced safety of food products.

Research demonstrates that cannabinoids are effective against both foodborne bacteria and fungi, with their antimicrobial action primarily attributed to microbial membrane instability.

Cannabinoids can be utilized to prepare effective antimicrobial films and edible coatings; however, the number of studies in this area remains limited.

The potential of cannabinoids to contribute to intelligent packaging systems is also discussed, with an emphasis on the regulatory aspects and challenges associated with incorporating cannabinoids into food packaging. Finally, the review identifies future research directions to address current limitations and advance hemp-based antimicrobial food packaging solutions.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39840610/

https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1541-4337.70113

“Abnormal cannabinoids (including comp 3) are a class of synthetic lipid compounds with non-psychoactive properties and regioisomer configurations, but distinct from traditional cannabinoids since they do not interact with the established CB1 and CB2 receptors. Previous research showed the cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory potentials of comp 3 and more recently its antimicrobial effect on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Given the escalating challenges posed by Candida infections and the rise of antifungal drug resistance, the exploration of novel therapeutic avenues is crucial. This study aimed to assess the anti-Candida properties of newly synthesized AbnCBD derivatives. AbnCBD derivatives were synthesized by acid catalysis-induced coupling and further derivatized. We evaluated the potential of the AbnCBD derivatives to inhibit the growth stages of various Candida species.

By in vitro colorimetric assays and in vivo mice experiments, we have shown that AbnCBD derivatives induce differential inhibition of Candida growth. The AbnCBD derivatives, especially comp 3, comp 10, and comp 9 significantly reduced the growth of C. albicans, including FLC-resistant strains, and of C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis but not of C auris compared to their controls (FLC and 0.5% DMSO). Comp 3 also disrupted C. albicans biofilm formation and eradicated mature biofilms. Notably, other derivatives of AbnCBD disrupted the biofilm formation and maturation of C. albicans but did not affect yeast growth. In a murine model of VVC, comp 3 demonstrated significant fungal clearance and reduced C. albicans burden compared to vehicle and FLC controls.

These findings highlight the potential of AbnCBDs as promising antifungal agents against Candida infections.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39368567/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661824003864?via%3Dihub