During the year 1990, a scientist from the University of South Florida claimed that cannabis’ primary psychoactive compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) could prove useful in cases of treating herpes.

Gerald Lancz, a microbiologist at the university, believed that his study’s findings would assist scientists in developing new types of anti-herpes medicines.

However, it has been more than 30 years since Lancz unleashed his findings on the medical community and drug manufacturers have yet to develop a cannabis-based medicine that can be prescribed for people with herpes.

Back when Lancz’s study results were released to attendees at the American Society for Microbiology in Anaheim in May of 1990, he made a point of warning people who suffer from genital or oral herpes that cannabis consumption may increase the chances of them developing other serious diseases, such as cancer.

″Smoking pot is not going to help your herpes, and it could make things a lot worse,″ said Lancz, who was unable to back up his negative claims about cannabis.

Since the study’s completion, cannabis has been approved for medical purposes in 37 U.S. states and is progressively being adopted in the global field of medicine.

What is Herpes?

Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) is a viral infection that causes a breakout of cold sores on the skin; usually around the mouth. Although it is similar to the sexually transmitted disease (STD) herpes simplex virus (HSV-2), HSV-1 is not transmitted through sexual contact. Instead, it is passed on from one person to another by more simple physical contact or the sharing of products, such as lip salves.

The herpes virus is among the most common in the United States, with some 90% of Americans testing positive at some point in their life. Even in cases where someone doesn’t exhibit a cold sore outbreak, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he or she has not been contaminated with HSV-1. Why? Because the virus remains dormant in the skin’s nerve cells.

Increased stress levels or poor immune system functioning can cause a herpes virus outbreak to occur. Healthy cells are attacked when the virus breaks loose. As a direct effect of this, the body works to defend itself by sending white blood cells to fight against HSV-1. Soon after, the body kicks into healing mode, at which point blisters tend to erupt on the skin’s surface for 4-7 days.

How Was the Study Carried Out?

THC was incubated by Lancz and his team, along with a range of viruses contained in test tubes. When the dose of THC was higher than the dose found in the blood of frequent cannabis consumers, the cannabinoid successfully killed HSV-1.

Although the scientists did not test the virus-killing potential of THC against the HSV-2 virus, A.K.A. “genital herpes”, Lancz noted that the drug is likely capable of killing the virus due to its similarity to HSV-1.

The study also discovered THC’s ability to obliterate cytomegalovirus – another type of herpes virus that causes flu-like symptoms in adults. Once someone is infected with cytomegalovirus, which is a common infectious cause of birth defects in the United States, they retain the infection for life.

What About CBD?

While we are on the subject of treating herpes with THC, it’s certainly worth looking into the cannabinoid’s non-psychoactive cousin, cannabidiol (CBD). Over the past few years, this cannabis compound has become the center of discussion in the medical community for its myriad therapeutic qualities, including its anti-inflammatory effects and potential to boost the immune system.

As a virus that causes inflammation of the skin, it makes sense that CBD could offer promise as a treatment option for HSV-1. Moreover, limited studies into CBD have exposed the cannabinoid’s pain-fighting power, thus suggesting that it may be useful as a remedy for the skin discomfort caused by herpes breakouts.

One study published in ? saw researchers assess the anti-inflammatory effects of cannabinoids. They found that topical CBD solutions were most effective at reducing skin inflammation, suggesting that CBD may harbor the potential to calm the symptoms of psoriasis.

Conversely, past studies have spotlighted CBD’s antiviral capabilities. For example, a study from 2009 found that CBD can promote healthy cell growth, as well as reduce the pain and inflammation associated with the healing process.

Common Side Effects of Herpes Medications

It’s important to note that no cure currently exists for genital herpes. However, the daily use of specific antiviral medicines—a class of medication developed to target disease-causing viruses—may stop outbreaks from happening or, at the very least, shorten outbreaks.

Most cases of herpes are treated with orally consumable or topically-applied antiviral medications, such as acyclovir, famciclovir, penciclovir, and valacyclovir.  While they might be able to curb the virus, the side-effects of these medicines are not exactly pleasant.

Let’s take a better look at the commonly reported side effects of OTC herpes medications:

Acyclovir - People who use acyclovir, which is usually provided in the form of a tablet, tend to suffer from mild skin pain; nausea, vomiting, headache, diarrhea, and/or itchiness.

Famciclovir - It’s not uncommon to experience headache, nausea, excess gas, tiredness, numbness, diarrhea, and/or stomach pain after using this type of herpes medication.

Penciclovir - Although it is rare to experience a serious allergic reaction from using penciclovir, the topically-applied solution may, in some instances, cause redness, burning, stinging, pain, rash, and/or numbness at the site of application.

Valacyclovir - Another commonly prescribed medication for herpes is valacyclovir. Adults aged 65 and older are more likely to experience one of the adverse side effects of this medication, such as shortness of breath, hallucinations, speech impairment, shakiness, agitation, and/or confusion.

Conclusion

Since the world is becoming more accustomed to using plant-based medicines like cannabis nowadays, there’s a good chance that we might see some new movement on the subject of using THC to treat herpes in the foreseeable future.

Nowadays, there is a swelling pool of evidence proving that the plant is actually an incredibly therapeutic powerhouse gifted to us from Mother Nature herself. Just last year, the global medical cannabis market had a valuation of £3.2 million.

Cannabis can be consumed in a variety of ways—e.g. inhalation, sublingual administration, oral consumption, and topical application—meaning that the leafy plant is perhaps one of the most versatile natural tools on the market.

On the other hand, further research is needed to paint a clearer picture of cannabis’ role in treating herpes. Lancz noted that the study’s findings should not encourage people with genital or oral herpes to use cannabis as an alternative to conventional methods of treatment.

Written and Published by Bethan Bee Rose in Weed World Magazine Issue 158

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