Hemp leaf extract containing cannabidiol (CBD) may be a promising new natural insecticide, as it has been shown to be effective against the larvae of mosquitoes that spread yellow fever (including certain types of mosquitoes that are resistant to conventional insecticides). ), a new study has revealed.
The study, published this summer in the journal Insects, found that hemp leaf extracts containing high concentrations of CBD killed Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae, which spread diseases such as dengue, Zika, and yellow fever, within about two days. It turned out to be deadly.
This effect was seen in both mosquitoes susceptible and resistant (PR) to insecticides known as pyrethroids (PS).
The authors from Ohio State University wrote that CBD “appears to be the primary active ingredient responsible for larvicidal activity.”
“Hemp extract and cannabidiol could be a valuable source for developing biopesticides to control mosquitoes.”
The study was led by entomology graduate student Eric Martínez Rodríguez and was inspired by previous research showing that the bark of a plant native to Madagascar can also be used as a natural insecticide and repellent. It was.
“Mosquitoes are among the most deadly animals in the world, primarily because they transmit diseases as adults,” Professor Martínez Rodríguez said in a university press release. “It is very important that we can control these pests in their early stages when they are most vulnerable.”
However, how exactly CBD extracts kill pests remains an open question.
“The specific mechanism of action of CBD's toxicity to mosquitoes and other insects is unknown,” the report states.
“Interestingly, insects are one of the few animal groups that do not have standard cannabinoid receptors,” the authors write. “However, at least in mammalian systems, CBD is known to modulate a wide range of biochemical targets…Thus, CBD may affect multiple biochemical targets and tissues in insects. ”
Surprisingly, only a small amount of CBD was needed to kill the mosquito larvae, Martinez-Rodriguez explained.
“The amount of hemp extract needed to kill 50 percent of the population is significantly higher than traditional synthetic insecticides,” the researchers said. “However, when compared side-by-side with other natural extracts tested in our laboratory, only relatively small amounts are required to cause high mortality in larvae.”
The same CBD that people use to treat a variety of illnesses is also highly effective at killing yellow fever mosquito larvae, according to a new report, showing its potential as a natural insecticide. It suggests that there is. @Ohio the study. @CFAES_OSU https://t.co/zDMpVr0zfD
— Ohio State News (@OhioStateNews) September 18, 2024
The authors stated that the study results are “consistent with previous studies that found concentration-dependent larvicidal activity of hemp extracts against other mosquitoes,” and that at least Five species were identified.
The study's findings also “consist well with previous studies suggesting that CBD has toxic, antifeedant, and/or growth inhibiting properties toward other insects,” the authors write. Includes tobacco hornworms, corn larvae, armyworms, meal moths, sawtooth beetles, etc. And flour.
To produce hemp leaf extract, the research team removed leaves from hemp plants seven months after planting, air-dried the leaves for seven days, then ground the plant material in a coffee grinder for five minutes. Methanol was used for extraction, and after generating the extract, the solvent was removed using an evaporator.
“Hemp is a valuable potential resource for developing new insecticides to control mosquitoes.”
Peter Piermarini, professor of entomology at Ohio State University and co-author of the report, said further research is needed to see how safe CBD is for non-target organisms such as bees and other pollinators. said that it is necessary.
“CBD is a compound that appears to be safe for human and pet consumption,” Piermarini said. “It will be interesting to learn more about how CBD interacts with different proteins in mammals and insects to understand why it is safe for humans but not for insects.”
The findings touch on another potential application for hemp in the agricultural sector, where hemp is already used in a variety of ways.
Last month, for example, a body of animal feed control authorities voted to allow commercial farmers to begin using hemp seed meal to feed layer hens. Under a new policy recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), hemp meal could make up up to 20% of a chicken's diet.
In 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent a warning letter to a series of companies that sell CBD products for animals, stating, “How much potential residue is safe for people consuming CBD-derived foods?'' “There is a lack of data,” he warned. -Animals treated. ”
However, last April, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that cows fed hemp seed cakes had very low levels of THC and CBD in their bodies, and meat products from hemp seed cows. showed that it is safe for human consumption.
Another federally funded study published in 2022 found that feeding hemp to cows actually lowered their stress levels. Researchers have previously investigated how CBD affects stress and pain in horses.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said earlier this year that the genetically engineered version of cannabis produced by researchers in Wisconsin “may be safely grown and raised in the United States,” and that it “has the potential to be used for plant pests and pests compared to the United States.” It is unlikely that there will be an increased risk of other cultivated plants. ”
A hemp variety called “Badger G” does not produce THC or CBD, but is engineered to contain higher levels of the cannabinoid CBG. This is at least the second type of genetically modified cannabis to get the green light from regulators, following the approval in October of another genetically modified plant that produces lower levels of THC and CBC.
Any CBD-based pesticide could be illegal under California's new proposed hemp regulations. Cannabis-derived products must not contain any THC, and even pure CBD products must be sold to adults over the age of 21 through licensed marijuana retailers.
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Photo courtesy of Pixabay.
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