Antimicrobial Effects of Cannabinoids on Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Yehudis Rosenwasser and Dr. Zvi Loewy
Yehudis Rosenwasser and co-author Dr. Zvi Loewy, TCOP's Associate Dean of Research, presented a study investigating the antibacterial effects of two cannabinoids, cannabidiol and cannabigerol, on the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This virulent pathogen can form antibiotic-resistant biofilms and can cause serious disease in COPD patients, so finding novel antimicrobials is important. Using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay, the study found that Pseudomonas aeruginosa is not affected by cannabidiol and cannabigerol when grown as planktonic cells. However, these two cannabinoids did show a dose dependent inhibitory effect on biofilm development. The study showed that, with more research, cannabinoids have a strong potential to become novel antimicrobial agents.
“Presenting my research at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting was an extremely rewarding experience. I had the opportunity to engage with a diverse group of students, residents, and pharmacists and discuss my area of research with them. Having the opportunity to speak with professionals from various educational backgrounds resulted in insightful and stimulating discussions and helped me gain new perspectives on my research.” - Yehudis Rosenwasser
(Upon graduation, Yehudis will be a PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident with Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY)
