B road-Spectrum Antiviral Effect of Cannabidiol Against Enveloped and Nonenveloped Viruses

AGOSTINA MARQUEZ,; JOSEFINA VICENTE,; ELIANA CASTRO,; DAIANA VOTA,; MARı´A SOLEDAD RODRı´GUEZ-VARELA,; LANZA, PRISCILA A.; FUENTES GISELLE; CRISTINA L. RAMÍREZ; ALEJANDRO PARISE; CYBELE GARCIA

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research

MARY AN LIEBERT INC.

Año: 2023

C annabidiol (CBD), the main nonpsychoactive cannabinoid of the Cannabis sativa plant, is a powerful antioxidantcompound that has attracted more attention in recent years due to its effects on a variety of biological functions.Zika virus (ZIKV) is a virus transmitted mainly by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which causes severe neurologicaldiseases, such as microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome, mainly in fetuses and newborns. Although the frequencyof viral outbreaks has increased recently, no vaccinations or particular chemotherapeutic treatments areavailable for ZIKV infection. In this study, we report that CBD inhibits the replication of ZIKV and other arboviruseswith major epidemiological significance such as dengue and chikungunya. Furthermore, we present encouragingfindings that outline a potential mechanism of action for CBD’s antiviral efficacy against ZIKV. We determinedthat CBD affects cellular membranes and, in particular, lowers intracellular cholesterol levels, thus affecting ZIKVviral replication. Finally, we demonstrate that CBD inhibits structurally dissimilar viruses, suggesting that this phytochemicalhas broad-spectrum antiviral effect, representing a valuable alternative in emergency situations duringviral outbreaks, like the one caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in 2019.