Why is it in the news?

• Researchers at CSIR-IIIM Jammu have discovered the antibiotic properties of a compound called THCBD, a semisynthetic phytocannabinoid found in the cannabis plant.

About Staphylococcus aureus

• THCBD has demonstrated potent antibiotic effects against the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium, which is responsible for a significant number of deaths due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
• It is a gram-positive bacterium causing various clinical diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, osteomyelitis, and endocarditis.
• It is present in the environment and in the normal human flora, primarily on the skin and mucous membranes.
• The transmission of Staphylococcus aureus occurs mostly through direct contact.

THCBD as a Phytocannabinoid

• THCBD stands for tetrahydrocannabidiol and is a semisynthetic phytocannabinoid naturally occurring in the cannabis plant.
• THCBD demonstrated strong effectiveness against efflux overexpression and MRSA strain in bacterial cultures in the lab.
• The compound reduced the number of viable microbial cells in S. aureus skin infections in mice, showing promise in combating AMR.

Challenges

• Solubility of the drug poses a challenge, as it needs to be dissolved in an aqueous medium, and THCBD tends to be lipophilic.
• Section 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 restricts the use of cannabis, including for research purposes.