Marijuana May Protect the Immune System from HIV and Other Diseases

Marijuana use has been medically proven to help alleviate symptoms of glaucoma patients and provide relief for people with chronic pain as well as those suffering from cancer. New evidence suggests that marijuana may also protect critical immune tissue damaged by HIV.

An article published in AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses by Patricia Molina and co-authors from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center have found that "chronic intake of THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, can protect critical immune tissue in the gut from the damaging effects of HIV infection," which is found in this Liebert Publishers news release.

According to Discovery Fit and Health, the use of medical marijuana is beneficial in many ways. They rank their five common uses of medical cannabis in an article on their website. Nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, muscle tension and spasm, chronic pain, and insomnia are the five most commonly treated issues. These can all be symptoms of some disease or condition, but it does not help completely rid these issues.

Molina and her coauthors found that the administration of THC in male monkeys showed to affect cell signaling and effector mechanisms that contribute to systemic response to infection and disease progression. This included viral entry into host cells; integration into the host genome; viral replication and; tissue inflammation. THC was tested on six-year-old male monkeys for 17 months.

More specifically, gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) is an important target for HIV. The presence of cannabinoid receptors (from the marijuana) showed a potential in modulating gastrointestinal responses to infection, especially in relieving inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, which could prove to be a crucial defense from HIV. The authors looked at Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) in the monkeys and hope the results can translate to humans.

After 17 months of receiving THC, the monkeys were then injected with SIV, which was monitored by the researchers. SIV has historically shown the early depletion of CD4+ T-cells, which play an important role in the immune system function. The study concluded, "Moreover, duodenal tissues from chronic THC-treated SIV-infected macaques (monkeys) had increased duodenal CD+4 lymphocytes," shown in the study.

These promising results will hopefully provide insight for further studies that focus on the positive effects of medicinal marijuana, especially for cases of HIV.