Facilitating the Bloom of Intestinal Flora: Observing the Influence of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on Beneficial Bacteria Inhabiting the Intestinal Microbiota

Abstract

Healthy human bodies are inhabited by over 100 trillion bacterial cells. The study of the symbiotic relationship between humans and these unicellular organisms has become of great importance in the medical field. In fact, the pathology of many diseases involves perturbation of the intestinal flora. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychotropic ingredient of cannabis, has caught the attention of healthcare researchers given its ability to increase appetite, and reduce nausea and inflammation. THC has also been associated with modulating the effects arising in the endocannabinoid system (ECS), however, its ability to affect bacteria growth has not been studied. This proposed experiment seeks to explore the growth and vitality of beneficial gut microbiota (Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA), Akkermansia muciniphila (AM), Bifidobacterium bifidum (BB), and Streptococcus thermophilus (ST)) upon exposure to THC. Through utilizing an experimental approach, beneficial bacterial cultures will be collected to study the growth of the microorganisms incubated with THC, relative to a positive and negative control. The results of the proposed study could inform future experiments investigating the treatment of a range of diseases with cannabis. The benefits of these treatments could also be extended to improving the daily health of the general population.