Treating Covid 19 By Using A Mixture Of Cannabinoids In Micellized Form To Lower Levels Of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines And Reduce Risk Of Cytokine Storm
This disclosure provides a technology for managing elevated cytokine levels and the risk of cytokine storm in viral infection, exemplified by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. A special mixture of cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), and cannabidivarin (CBDV) is extracted from the flowers and leaves of Cannabis sativa (industrial hemp). The purified oil is packed with a surfactant into small micelles, which considerably increases absorption by the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in higher potency and a more rapid onset of action. Daily treatment of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 reduces the circulating level of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) by 25 to 50% or more. The level of circulating markers of ongoing inflammation, such as C reactive protein (CRP) and/or erythrocyte sedimentation rate (EST) are also reduced. This lowers the risk that the treated patient will suffer the adverse consequences of a cytokine storm, potentially helping the patient to clear the virus and return to good health.
Claim CLM-00001. 1. A method of reducing circulating levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in a human subject in need thereof by 25% to 50%, the method comprising:
administering to the subject a course of therapy that includes oral consumption of a cannabinoid preparation periodically or every day for at least 20 days; wherein cannabinoids contained in the preparation are in a form that consists essentially of micelles suspended in an aqueous solvent; wherein the micelles in the preparation comprise one or more amphipathic compounds combined with full-spectrum hemp oil; wherein the preparation has a cannabinoid content of 0.1 to 1.0% by weight, wherein the cannabinoid content is a mixture of cannabinoids that includes at least 70% cannabidiol (CBD), at least 2% tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), at least 3% cannabidivarin, and less than 1% Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THC); wherein the course of therapy with the cannabinoid preparation results in a reduction in the circulating levels of the subject of both the TNFα and the IL-6.
Claim CLM-00015. 15. A therapeutic preparation of full spectrum hemp oil formulated for oral consumption by a human patient infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19),
wherein the preparation comprises a mixture of cannabinoids that together constitute 0.1 to 1.0% by weight of the preparation, wherein the cannabinoids in the preparation are in a form that consists essentially of micelles having a diameter of 10 to 100 microns, wherein the micelles comprise one or more amphipathic compounds combined with full-spectrum hemp oil; wherein the cannabinoid mixture contains the following components: at least 70% cannabidiol (CBD), at least 2% tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), at least 5% cannabidivarin, and less than 1% Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THC); and wherein the amount of cannabinoids, the blend of cannabinoids in the mixture and the size of the micelles in the preparation are selected so that the preparation is effective in reducing circulating levels of both tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the subject by at least 25% when consumed daily by the patient for at least 20 days.
