Antimicrobial Potential of Cannabinoids: A Scoping Review of the Past 5 Years

In the scenario of fighting bacterial resistance to antibiotics, natural products have been extensively investigated for their potential antibacterial activities. Among these, cannabinoids—bioactive compounds derived from cannabis—have garnered attention for their diverse biological activities, incl...

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Main Authors: Maria João Coelho, Maria Duarte Araújo, Márcia Carvalho, Inês Lopes Cardoso, Maria Conceição Manso, Cristina Pina
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Microorganisms
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/2/325
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author Maria João Coelho
Maria Duarte Araújo
Márcia Carvalho
Inês Lopes Cardoso
Maria Conceição Manso
Cristina Pina
author_facet Maria João Coelho
Maria Duarte Araújo
Márcia Carvalho
Inês Lopes Cardoso
Maria Conceição Manso
Cristina Pina
author_sort Maria João Coelho
collection DOAJ
description In the scenario of fighting bacterial resistance to antibiotics, natural products have been extensively investigated for their potential antibacterial activities. Among these, cannabinoids—bioactive compounds derived from cannabis—have garnered attention for their diverse biological activities, including anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. Emerging evidence suggests that cannabinoids may also possess significant antimicrobial properties, with potential applications in enhancing the efficacy of conventional antimicrobial agents. Therefore, this review examines evidence from the past five years on the antimicrobial properties of cannabinoids, focusing on underlying mechanisms such as microbial membrane disruption, immune response modulation, and interference with microbial virulence factors. In addition, their synergistic potential, when used alongside standard therapies, underscores their promise as a novel strategy to address drug resistance, although further research and clinical trials are needed to validate their therapeutic use. Overall, cannabinoids offer a promising avenue for the development of innovative treatments to combat drug-resistant infections and reduce the reliance on traditional antimicrobial agents.
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series Microorganisms
spelling doaj-art-0451775d8f294ad1b5f9c7cfa98ed76c2025-08-20T02:45:01ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-02-0113232510.3390/microorganisms13020325Antimicrobial Potential of Cannabinoids: A Scoping Review of the Past 5 YearsMaria João Coelho0Maria Duarte Araújo1Márcia Carvalho2Inês Lopes Cardoso3Maria Conceição Manso4Cristina Pina5RISE-Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Fernando Pessoa University, Fernando Pessoa Teaching and Culture Foundation, Rua Carlos da Maia, 296, 4200-150 Porto, PortugalFCS-UFP, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde (Health Sciences Faculty), Fernando Pessoa University, Rua Carlos da Maia, 296, 4200-150 Porto, PortugalRISE-Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Fernando Pessoa University, Fernando Pessoa Teaching and Culture Foundation, Rua Carlos da Maia, 296, 4200-150 Porto, PortugalRISE-Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Fernando Pessoa University, Fernando Pessoa Teaching and Culture Foundation, Rua Carlos da Maia, 296, 4200-150 Porto, PortugalRISE-Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Fernando Pessoa University, Fernando Pessoa Teaching and Culture Foundation, Rua Carlos da Maia, 296, 4200-150 Porto, PortugalRISE-Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Fernando Pessoa University, Fernando Pessoa Teaching and Culture Foundation, Rua Carlos da Maia, 296, 4200-150 Porto, PortugalIn the scenario of fighting bacterial resistance to antibiotics, natural products have been extensively investigated for their potential antibacterial activities. Among these, cannabinoids—bioactive compounds derived from cannabis—have garnered attention for their diverse biological activities, including anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. Emerging evidence suggests that cannabinoids may also possess significant antimicrobial properties, with potential applications in enhancing the efficacy of conventional antimicrobial agents. Therefore, this review examines evidence from the past five years on the antimicrobial properties of cannabinoids, focusing on underlying mechanisms such as microbial membrane disruption, immune response modulation, and interference with microbial virulence factors. In addition, their synergistic potential, when used alongside standard therapies, underscores their promise as a novel strategy to address drug resistance, although further research and clinical trials are needed to validate their therapeutic use. Overall, cannabinoids offer a promising avenue for the development of innovative treatments to combat drug-resistant infections and reduce the reliance on traditional antimicrobial agents.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/2/325cannabinoidscannabisantimicrobial potentialantibacterialantiviralantifungal
spellingShingle Maria João Coelho
Maria Duarte Araújo
Márcia Carvalho
Inês Lopes Cardoso
Maria Conceição Manso
Cristina Pina
Antimicrobial Potential of Cannabinoids: A Scoping Review of the Past 5 Years
Microorganisms
cannabinoids
cannabis
antimicrobial potential
antibacterial
antiviral
antifungal
title Antimicrobial Potential of Cannabinoids: A Scoping Review of the Past 5 Years
title_full Antimicrobial Potential of Cannabinoids: A Scoping Review of the Past 5 Years
title_fullStr Antimicrobial Potential of Cannabinoids: A Scoping Review of the Past 5 Years
title_full_unstemmed Antimicrobial Potential of Cannabinoids: A Scoping Review of the Past 5 Years
title_short Antimicrobial Potential of Cannabinoids: A Scoping Review of the Past 5 Years
title_sort antimicrobial potential of cannabinoids a scoping review of the past 5 years
topic cannabinoids
cannabis
antimicrobial potential
antibacterial
antiviral
antifungal
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/2/325
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AT ineslopescardoso antimicrobialpotentialofcannabinoidsascopingreviewofthepast5years
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