Cannabis Compound Could Protect Us From Deadly Fungal Disease

A dangerous fungal pathogen has proven no match for what may be one of the most useful plants in nature .

Scientists studying the chemical properties of cannabis have found it kills one of the most dangerous fungal pathogens in the world – in a laboratory setting, at least.

Cryptococcus neoformans , a species of fungus behind cryptococcosis and cryptococcal meningitis , appears to be vulnerable to topical treatment with cannabidiol and cannabidivarin, compounds found in the plant Cannabis sativa .

"When Cryptococcus neoformans gets to your central nervous system, it causes life-threatening meningitis," explains biologist Hue Dinh of Macquarie University in Australia. "The mortality rate is very high, and it's really hard to treat." frameborder="0″ allow="accelerometer;