Uncovering the Hidden Antibiotic Potential of Cannabis

The spread of antimicrobial resistance
continues to be a priority health concern worldwide, necessitating
the exploration of alternative therapies. Cannabis sativa has long been known to contain antibacterial cannabinoids, but their
potential to address antibiotic resistance has only been superficially
investigated. Here, we show that cannabinoids exhibit antibacterial
activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), inhibit its ability to form biofilms, and eradicate preformed
biofilms and stationary phase cells persistent to antibiotics. We
show that the mechanism of action of cannabigerol is through targeting
the cytoplasmic membrane of Gram-positive bacteria and demonstrate in vivo efficacy of cannabigerol in a murine systemic infection
model caused by MRSA. We also show that cannabinoids are effective
against Gram-negative organisms whose outer membrane is permeabilized,
where cannabigerol acts on the inner membrane. Finally, we demonstrate
that cannabinoids work in combination with polymyxin B against multidrug
resistant Gram-negative pathogens, revealing the broad-spectrum therapeutic
potential for cannabinoids.