Can CBD Be Used for MRSA?

If you’ve had strep throat or a staph infection in the past, you probably went to the doctor to get an antibiotic. While that most likely helped you get better, overprescription for these common ailments is leading to more antibiotic-resistant infections like MRSA. Could using CBD to kill this bacteria be an alternative solution?

MRSA & Antibiotic Resistance

According to Mayo Clinic, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterial infection that’s become resistant to many of the antibiotics used to treat ordinary staph infections.

Unlike a regular case of strep throat or staph infection, MRSA infections are much more difficult to get rid of. Fortunately, cannabinoids’ antibacterial properties show promise in addressing MRSA, as well as other antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Can CBD Oil Kill MRSA?

A study by Botanix Pharmaceuticals Ltd. seeking to answer the question of whether CBD oil has antibiotic properties showed encouraging signs for using CBD to treat MRSA. Although it has only been tested in mice and test tubes, results determined CBD was particularly effective at fighting against gram-positive bacteria, which includes the Staphyloccocus and Streptococcus microbes responsible for methicillin-resistant strep throat and staph infections. So can CBD oil kill MRSA? Current research says it’s potentially a solution.

Not only did the study indicate that CBD was effective in disrupting the biofilm required to attack the bacteria, but it showed that CBD killed bacteria more quickly than common antibiotics like vancomycin and daptomycin as well. That means it’s possible to see an improvement with a sore throat or irritated skin in as little as three hours with CBD oil, instead of waiting six to eight hours for antibiotics to kick in.

So What’s Next?

There’s a lot of promise for using CBD oil to treat infections that are resistant to antibiotics. Additionally, those looking for a more natural remedy to treat non-resistant strains of staph and strep might find CBD as an alternative treatment method.

In addition to these exciting studies, personal testimonies are also showing hopeful signs for using CBD to treat MRSA. One farmer wrote about their amazing results combining CBD and mānuka honey to fight off MRSA. They reported that their skin infection had completely cleared up after just a week of using the natural salve.

While the potential for using CBD as an antibiotic is largely untapped, the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD combined with its ability to fight bacteria could make CBD oil a promising choice for fighting off infections and relieving the pain and discomfort associated with MRSA.